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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Minister of Interior Affairs, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, announced yesterday that a total of three million passports were issued to Nigerians between 2019 to 2022, just as he warned officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) against extortions and hoarding of passport booklets to create an undue scarcity in the system.
He disclosed this at the official launching of the Enhanced e-Passport in Benin, Asaba and Warri passport offices and the commissioning of the passport production centre at the Benin Passport office, Edo State command.
“It will interest you to know that between 2019 and now, as difficult as that era, the Nigerian Immigration Service has issued over three million passports to Nigerians. It is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
“Last year alone, 1.3 million passports were issued. Also, last time I checked, over 250,000 passports remained uncollected by applicants”, he said. The Minister assured that the exploitation of Nigerians seeking to get their passports will no longer be tolerated by him as erring officers will be seriously dealt with. “Whoever disregard any Nigerian, whoever exploit any Nigerian in their quest to get this document will be dealt with personally by me. This is the last time I am going to warn”, he said.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari expressed regret hearing that Nigerians are always denied Passports, stressing that with the Enhanced e-Passport, denial of Passports will now be a thing of the past.
