The Story Your path to the story
… deploys special Taskforce to Lagos
As the demand for international passports continues to increase in Lagos Passport Offices, especially Ikoyi Office,the Assistant Comptroller-General, Zone “A” of the Nigerian Immigration Service, ACG Oluremi Talabi, has said that a total of 25,820 processed passports are yet to be collected in Lagos alone.
ACG Talabi, who is also the Zonal Coordinator Nigeria Immigration Service, Zone “A”, Ikeja, also said that Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service,Idris Isah Jere, has deployed the Special Taskforce to Lagos to clear the backlog of passport processing in the state.
Speaking on the activities of the immigration office on the passport processing, she urged applicants of the unclaimed processed passports to approach any of their office in the state and get their passports.
Harping on the number of unclaimed processed passports, Talabi said that a total of 16,211 passports were processed and produced at Ikoyi Passports alone but not collected by the applicants. She added that the Alausa office of the immigration service also produced 8,320 which are yet to be collected to be claimed, adding that 1500 processed passports are to be collected by the applicants.
Talabi said:“I urge all applicants who receive a text or a call from the help desk to come forward and pick up their passports, as we have about 16,211) produced but not collected passports for Ikoyi, 8,320 for Alausa passport office and 1,500 for FESTAC Office.”
She added that the special Task Force were saddled with the mandate to clear all application backlogs for koyi Passport Office.
“The Task force is here at the instance of the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Ag. CGI IDRIS ISAH JERE to clear backlog of pending applications.You may wish to know that the Acting Comptroller General has infused more than Twenty Thousand (20,000) booklets into the system and will continue doing so. I implore prospective passport applicants to be patient and allow the system to work, as there is nowhere in the world you apply and get a passport on the same day.
“The policy put in place by the Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for passport issuance is Three weeks for re-issue and Six weeks for fresh applications. In between these, emergency applications with proof are attended to, the Assistant Comptroller-General said.
Talabi, however, identified epileptic power supply issues with verification of NIN, incorrect data due to name arrangements, and wrong phone numbers from applicants as major challenges impeding fast processing of the passports, adding that data supplied to the Nigerian Immigration Service should tally with the NIN for speedy passport process.
“I urge prospective applicants to make use of the SERVICOM window at the various passport offices and should not patronize touts, who most times collect Applicant’s money, pocket the money and refuse to process the application while telling lies that there are no booklets. We will continue to do all we can to serve the public efficiently and promptly,” the ACG said.
