Acting Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Declares State of Emergency on Passport Issues

By: Ogunleye Oluwapelumi

The Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, has declared a state of emergency on Passport issues in the country. The Comptroller in charge of Media and Publicity, Tony Akuneme, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

During her working visit to Lagos, Mrs Adepoju emphasized the urgent need to address challenges faced by Nigerians in obtaining Passports and declared a comprehensive plan of action to tackle these issues effectively. The statement reads, “The Ag. CGI’s visit to Lagos encompassed significant events that underscored the gravity of the Passport crisis.”

Mrs Adepoju inaugurated a state-of-the-art Visa on Arrival Lounge at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, demonstrating her commitment to improving the overall travel experience for visitors entering Nigeria. Following this, she paid an unscheduled visit to the Alausa Passport office to assess the situation firsthand.

In her address, Ag. CGI Adepoju emphasized the necessity to dismantle all man-made bottlenecks that impede the Passport application process. She further stressed that the NIS top management is fully committed to addressing institutional and technology-based drawbacks to ensure a more efficient and streamlined service delivery.

Recognizing the importance of collaboration and community engagement, the Ag. CGI embarked on a grassroots sensitization initiative targeting traditional and religious leaders, community influencers, and other stakeholders. This initiative is aimed at raising awareness about the Passport crisis and the NIS’s efforts to address it.

The declaration of a state of emergency on Passport issues by the Acting Comptroller General of the NIS is a welcome development that will hopefully result in a more efficient and streamlined Passport application process for Nigerians.