In an effort to bring improved Passport processing services closer to Passport applicants, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has unveiled a central enhanced e-Passport Production Centre for Jigawa, Katsina and Dawakin Kudu in Kano, Kano State and commenced the construction of a new passport office in Abeokuta.
The CGI led the Ogun state governor, Gov. Dapo Abiodun and other government dignitaries to the ground breaking ceremony of a passport office at Abeokuta, Ogun state.
A statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Tony Akuneme on Wednesday reported that the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris in his address while commissioning the Kano office, reassured Nigerians that the service will continue with the fast-track program designed specifically for those who returned from different parts of the globe for the Yuletide holiday.
Represented by the Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Standard Passport, Sadat Hassan, the CGI said he was particularly happy with the positive feedbacks from the various Passport offices across the country, which shows that our people appreciate the novel initiative. “We intend to keep the two weeks processing timeframe open to all diasporas until January 31st when the program will come to an end. “
He stated that the NIS is still committed to issuing Passports within the stipulated timeframe of three to six weeks, post biometric capture, where there are no technical hitches or application irregularities such as inconsistencies in the NIN of applicants. The CGI emphasized that NIN remains mandatory for the issuance of enhanced e-Passport and the information in both documents must match.
“We reiterate our official position that Passport applicants should please avoid using third parties but go online and make their applications and payments themselves at passport.immigration.gov.ng. We continue to deal with the challenges of recalcitrant touts as well as few bad eggs amongst the personnel who are bent on sabotaging the reform process.”
CGI Jere asserted that his management team remain focused on improving service delivery with particular emphasis on efficient and seamless Passport administration, border security and welfare of Officers and Men of the Service.
He used the opportunity to warn members of the public of the nefarious activities of racketeering syndicates who have gone a step further to even circulate fake news of Immigration recruitment exercise. The NIS he said, is not recruiting at this moment and will always publish such recruitment as usual on national dailies, anytime we secure Federal Government approval for recruitment.
Commissioning the facility at Farm Centre area of Kano, the Executive Governor of the State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, congratulated the Service for the many achievements recorded in recent times especially for being the first country in Africa to roll out the enhance e-Passport. The Governor, who was represented at the event by the Kano State Commissioner for Budget, Alhaji Danazumi Grazo, appreciated NIS for sighting the Center within the ancient city, noting that he believes the choice of Kano may have been because of the peaceful nature of the State.
Dignitaries at the event includes the Zonal Coordinator (Zone B), ACG Zainab Lawal, Kano State Command Comptroller, Mustapha Ahmed, State Command Comptrollers under Zone B, the Executive Director of IRIS SMART, Felix Fatusin and Heads of sister Security Agencies in Kano.