Nigerians Called on NIS to review its Policy of Passport Issuance
By Abdullahi Tukur
The Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, has been called upon to review the policy regarding the issuance of Nigeria Passport to make it easy for an ordinary Nigeria to seek and acquire Nigeria Passport without much difficuties.
This was the recommendation by Rtd. Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Sambo Gwandu, in a paper he presented “tittled NIS the Journey So Far” in continuation on the occasion to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Nigeria Immigration Service held in Kebbi State.
He said, it was unforthnate despite the achivements recorded through the adoption and use of advanced technology in its operations, the service is currently facing the challenges in the issuance of improved Nigeria Passport as a result of policy.
According to the presenter, before now, the service was proudly issueing the standard Passport within 72 hours but now adopting a policy which if care is not taken, the applicant for Nigeria Passport will have to wait for a period of 3 months or more to obtain Passport or seek for a waiver, a provision that is not open to ordinary Nigeria.
He described the Policy as achieved noting rather than promoting corruption in the system.
In their separate goodwill messages, Kebbi state government, sister security agencies, traditional institutions, retired personnel of the service as well as foreign communities, while congratulating the Immigration Service for attaining 60 years, they called for the review of the policy to enable a Nigerian obtain a Nigeria Passport within the shortest period of time.
The Kebbi State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Rabí Bashir Nuhu, said the agency in the state has recorded successes in the discharge of its responsibilties as agency that deals with the responsibility of controlling illegal migrants and Kebbi State having bordering two countries of Niger and Benin Republic.
She stated that, the agency is having a good cordial relationship with the state government and also with border communities.
