Controversy trails scarcity of International Passport booklets

Controversies are trailing the scarcity of Nigeria’s 32-page international passport booklets at all passport offices of the Immigration Service.

This is as investigation by our correspondent revealed that the sum of additional N5, 000 is imposed on each applicant who wants to fast-track the processing of their international passports.

A source close to the service alleged that the N5, 000 extra goes into the coffers of the Passport Control Officer (PCO) at each passport office of the service, especially in Lagos.

Investigation carried out by our correspondent indicated that while the 64-page international passport is available in most of the offices, applicants who want the 32-page document are denied this and are compelled to go for the 64-page document.

The 32-page booklet is for five years while the 64-page document is for 10 years with different fees charged on applicants.

The Federal Government had in 2019 introduced the 10- year document to willing ap¬plicants but assured that the usual five-year international passport booklets would still be available for those who want that category.

Sunday James, the Service Public Relations Officer (PRO), told our correspondent that there was no scarcity of any of the international passport booklets in any of its offices, including the Ikoyi Office of the service.

However, investigation indicated that the 32-page document had been scarce in the past five weeks, especially at the Ikoyi, Alausa, and Festac offices of the Service in Lagos.

Besides, it was gathered that the scarcity is more pronounced at the Ikoyi Passport Office of the service due to internal wrangling, as the new Passport Control Officer (PCO), one Mr. Garo, who took over three weeks ago, was reported to have had a disagreement with his predecessor.

A source close to the office told our correspondent that unofficial payment of N5,000 for every passport request has been going on for a few years at the Ikoyi Passport Office and that the money, which is collected from applicants, is coded in every application file and goes to the office of the PCO.

There are indications that this illegal collection is the cause of the rift between the past PCO and the current one, as the latter had reportedly protested that he met an “empty” office when he took over.

Angered by this development, the new PCO, last week, allegedly ordered the shutdown of the engineering department to stop the capture of applicants who came to collect their passports.

The source said: “There has been scarcity of passport booklets at the Ikoyi Passport Office, especially the new 32- page passport, which Nigerians prefer, but are forced to request for the 64-page booklets, which costs more and is meant for frequent travellers.

“The new PCO is not talking to anybody. He is just aloof. The other day, he or-dered the shutdown of the engineering department and stopped the production of the booklets.

“We later learnt that his grouse had to do with the N5,000 illegal deduction, which every passport applicant must pay before their application is approved.

“He said that his predecessor left nothing for him. People are suffering and the scarcity is more pronounced at the Ikoyi office, which is the busiest in the country.

“Immediately the former PCO left, we started experiencing scarcity and for two weeks, we waited for the new PCO; we had hoped that when he comes, the scarcity would end, but it has been there for the past three weeks since he took over.”

But James, the PRO, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has debunked the claim that the service had a shortage of booklets for applicants.

James said that the service had supplied all the passport commands with adequate booklets and blamed some of the applicants for patronising touts in order to get their international passports.

He stated that the Service had charged applicants not to patronise touts in order to get passports, but regretted that some of them kept ignoring the advice.

He noted that they would later accuse the Immigration Service of inefficiency when they are unable to get the passports.

According to him, applicants would get his or her passport within 72 hours of application, stressing that the service had simplified its process in order to make it easier for all applicants.

He said: “We don’t have a shortage of booklets at Immigration. As at last week, all the commands were supplied with passport booklets. I can categorically tell you that our Ikoyi Passport Office is not short of booklets. I don’t know when you went there last, but they have their booklets.

“Ask those who are complaining of not being able to get their international passport out who they went through because, at times, they go through touts.

“We have sent out circulars and written in newspapers that people should apply online and when they have problems they should let us know.

 “When they have problems with area boys, they will now run to the media. It is a very shameful experience when they do this.

“We tell them not to go through a third party and if they go through a third party and the person is not in the passport office, it is also a criminal act.

“Let them stop patronising people. Let the system work for itself. We have a systemic that works and not someone helping the people.

“Once you apply online and all your documents are intact and you pay, you go with your evidence of payment, approach the front desk offices with your documents. Regular application without problem, maximum is 72 hours, which is three working days.

“Unfortunately, the third party charges them a ridiculously high amount of money for quick delivery, which doesn’t work most times.”  (Daily Independent)