The Federal Government has advised Nigerians to pay for their passports online and avoid patronizing touts and unprofessional officials when applying for the passports.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who gave the warning on Monday in Oyo State at the rollout of the enhanced e-Passport, said digitized payments procedures will ensure a reliable process.
In a statement released by the spokesperson to the minister, Sola Fasure, Aregbesola said, “Part of the reforms is the migration of passport applications and payments to digital platforms. But we regret to observe that applicants still patronize touts and unscrupulous officials in the hope to beat the system and get expedited services. When they were disappointed, they came to report to us. Of course, we have zero tolerance for corruption and subversion of due process. We therefore take any such report and invoke the necessary disciplinary measures.
“But I will implore applicants to stop patronizing touts and our officials directly. Follow the process we put in place. Apply for passports and pay online. The only engagement with our staff is the enrollment of your biometrics. Patronizing touts and passport office officials doesn’t always end well, but rather serves to defeat our purpose of eliminating corruption and infusing integrity to the passport administration process.”
Nigeria launched the enhanced e-passport in January 2019. It has 10-year validity, self-tracking application and express centres for urgent applications.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched the passports in various offices within the country and overseas, including its Lagos and London offices.
Speaking on the new application process, the minister noted that a new timeline has been set for fresh passport application and reissue will be strictly adhered to.
He noted that the template stipulates a maximum period of six weeks for obtaining new passports and a maximum three weeks for renewal.
He explained that the digital passport is the latest technology in passport making anywhere in the world and only a few countries have it, adding that it is the most secure identity document ever produced.