Nigeria Immigration Suspends Issuance Of Passport

• The suspension would give the service ample time to attend to avalanche of pending applications.

The Nigeria Immigration Service says it has suspended processing of new passport applications in all passport offices across the country.

Ekohotblog reports that the service announced the development in a statement on Tuesday.

In the statement signed by the Deputy Comptroller General, AB Yarima of the service, the agency disclosed that the suspension took effect on May 17.

According to the statement, the suspension became imperative in order to ensure seamless preparation for the commencement of a new passport regime.

It noted that the suspension would give service ample time to attend to avalanche of pending applications.

“This directive, which comes into effect from today, May 17, 2021, has become necessary to allow enough time to clear all backlog of applications sequel to the commencement of the new passport regime on June 1, 2021,” said the NIS.

It added, “Consequent upon the foregoing, all PCOS are therefore directed to utilise this period, May 17, 2021, to May 31, 2021, to ensure that all backlogs are produced and handed over to command comptrollers for collection by members of the public concerned.”

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All offices nationwide were advised to comply with the suspension of all applications until June 1.

Last April, the House of Representatives urged the NIS to, within 72 hours, issue passports to Nigerians who fulfilled all requirements.

This was conséquent upon the unanimous adoption of a motion by Ugonna Ozurigbo at a plenary. Moving the motion earlier, Ozurigbo said thousands of Nigerians who paid for the passport were yet to be issued the booklet.

Earlier in April, Rauf Aregbesola, the interior minister, announced that Nigerians would soon obtain their passports from various local government areas.