The Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Zone A, ACG Oluremi Ajoke Talabi urged intending applicants of the international passport booklet to desist from patronizing tout at the entrance of the immigration office as it is a big risk.
This she said that several cases have been reported while many fall victim of fraud while trying to get passport from a non immigration officer.
According to ACG Talabi, said the immigration office would continue to do all it take to ensure applicant desist from patronizing tout and also ensure they make use of servicom desk to process their applications.
“The passport office website is available to all intending applicant and the Nigeria passport office is ready to issue passport to all who apply without any issue as we will continue to do our best to make sure the public get served. Hence, we urge applicant to make use of the servicom desk in passport offices and should not patronise tout who most of the time collect applicant money and pocket such money therefore refuse to process such application whilst tell them lies that immigration office do not have booklet.
She stressed, we have enough booklet in different sizes from 32 page 5years to 64 pages 5 years as well as 64 pages 10 year with huge numbers injected into the system.”
Read Also:
Talabi said, “the acting comptroller general has infused more than twenty thousand passport booklet into the system and he will continue to do so. It is a continuous process because every day we get request for passport application. So I implore prospective passport applicant to be patient and allow the system to work as there is nowhere in the world you will apply and get a passport same day. However, there is a policy already put in place by the Hon. Minister for Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on passport issuance which is said at 3 weeks for reissue and 6 weeks for fresh application, she mentioned.”
The ACG, urged applicant to be more cautious when submitting name for application as name arrangement is important as it must tally with the name registered with Nimc hence, those with error in the arrangement of names and incorrect phone numbers might be delayed until correction is made.
In the same vein, ACG Talabi also said that the acting Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Idris Isah Jere has dispatched a Special Task Force to the Ikoyi Passport Office in Lagos to clear the backlog of applications.
The team has arrived Ikoyi and commenced the clearance exercise to ensure that all applications are sorted and to make sure that application does not suffer unnecessary delay.
