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Tag: Immigration

  • NIS blames passport scarcity on CBN

    NIS blames passport scarcity on CBN

    The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has blamed the scarcity of International passport booklets on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy on forex.

    The Comptroller-General of the service, Mr Idris Jere said this at a public hearing organised by an ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives in Abuja.

    “Foreign exchange regulation policy of the government and CBN’s refusal to grant access to forex for importation of the passport booklets.

    “We generate forex from sale of passport but we do not have access to buy the same booklet and that is a challenge for NIS.

    “The factors responsible for scarcity of passport include the inability to setup passport producing factory in Nigeria as its production is done abroad.

    “The major seven component used for producing passports are sold in international market and the assemblage and production are done in Malaysia,” he said.

    He said that Irris Smart Technology Ltd, the foreign company responsible for producing the passport had done well given the conditions.

    He said that the presidential directive to commence production of passport locally by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting (NSPM) was a welcome development.

    He, however, recommended that a proper exit plan be put in place for a smooth handover from Irris Smart Tech to prevent any breach of contract and production process.

    Earlier, the Managing Director of Irris Smart Technology Ltd , Mr Yinker Fisher said that before the advent of the e-passport system, the Nigerian passport was marred with embarrassing irregularities and inconsistency under the watch of NSPM.

    According to him, as a result of lack of capacity, NSPM outsourced the process to three companies which led to so many irregularities including passport colour and numbers.

  • Corrupt officials undermining issuance of passports – Aregbesola

    Corrupt officials undermining issuance of passports – Aregbesola

    The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, says few corrupt officials are undermining efforts of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at sanitising process and bringing integrity to passports application.

    Aregbesola made this known in Oyo Town, while inaugurating the NIS passports front office in the town on Tuesday evening.

    The minister said that NIS did not, at any given time, experience shortage of passport booklets, adding it was “a lie and an excuse by few corrupt officials of the service to extort the applicants”.

    “One of the challenges facing NIS as regards passports application are the few corrupt officials of the service who are undermining the efforts of the service at sanitising process and bringing integrity to passports application.

    “These unscrupulous people are making the situation difficult by the day, if people did not tolerate them, they will not exist again.

    “They are the one spreading the rumour that there is no booklets in order to continue to extort the applicants.

    “We did not have shortage of booklets at any given time; we have enough booklets to meet the need of the people.

    “There are more than enough booklets in our production schedule,” Aregbesola said.

    He, however, appealed to Nigerians to stop patronising the touts and report any NIS officials manipulating applicants for money.

    The minister said that NIS has been improving on its services, noting that only few countries could boast of the type of Nigeria passport, which he said “is one of the best in the world”.

    He said that the challenges currently facing immigration service included dearth of offices to enrol applicants for data capturing.

    The minister said that the challenges were gradually been tackled, especially with the construction of more passports front offices.

    Aregbesola said the inauguration of new office in Oyo Town would reduce the congestion in Ibadan centre.

    He said that about 5,000 applicants waiting for data capturing in Ibadan centre would be offloaded to the new centre in Oyo, to reduce the challenge of waiting period of data capturing by applicants.

    “There is a limit to the number of applicants any passport office can attend to in a day, thus making it impossible to urgently attend to all the applicants necessitating the long waiting period.

    “Ibadan can only attend to 450 applicants in a day and that is why we need several locations like this one in Oyo,” he said.

    The minister said that getting an international passport was the right of all Nigerians in Nigeria and those outside the country, assuring them that the service would not relent in its mandate of providing passports to all Nigerians.

    Earlier, the NIS Comptroller in Oyo State, Mohammed Umar, said the new passport office would be an additional centre to that of Ibadan Centre, which had been serving people of the state and its environs for decades.

    Umar said that Ibadan Centre had been overstressed due to high numbers of passport applicants.

    According to him, this made NIS to consider establishing another centre in Oyo in order to effectively serve the people.

    He commended the minister for bringing the centre closer to the people and as well appreciated the people of the town for their contributions in ensuring the realisation of the centre.

    In his remarks, the Chairman, Oyo Metropolitan Development Association, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, thanked the minister and the Federal Government for the project.

    Ladigbolu assured the government of the supports and cooperation of the people of the town to officials of NIS.

    He said that the centre would reduce stress being experienced by people in obtaining passports and boost economy of the town.

  • BREAKING: Buhari extends tenure of Immigration boss, Jere

    BREAKING: Buhari extends tenure of Immigration boss, Jere

    President Muhammad Buhari has approved the extension of the tenure of the Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Isah Jere.

    A statement issued in Abuja on Friday by NIS Spokesman, Mr. Tony Akuneme, said Jere would remain in office till May 29.

    Akuneme said that the approval was contained in a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof.  Ibrahim Gambari.

    According to him, Jere has since resumed duties at the Service Headquarters.

    Before the extension, the CG NIS tenure had ended on April 24.

  • Immigration board orders immediate handover by Acting CG

    Immigration board orders immediate handover by Acting CG

    The Board of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has directed the Acting Comptroller-General of the organisation, Isah Jere, to handover to his immediate junior.

    This is contained in a letter issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Acting Secretary of the Board, Edmund Obasi.

    The same board oversees the Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Correctional Service.

    Obasi, in the letter, said that the directive was sequel to the impending expiration of the one year extension in office granted to Jere by President Muhammadu Buhari via letter no. SH/COS/42/3/3/A/28, dated 22 April, 2022 which will be expiring on April 24.

    Jere was directed to handover to the most senior Deputy Comptroller-General of the service before April 24 pending when the president would appoint a substantive Comptroller-General.

    The board expressed gratitude to Jere for his immense contributions to the service and the country and wished him success in his future endeavours.

  • [Just In] Tenure elongation: Buhari sacks Immigration CG

    [Just In] Tenure elongation: Buhari sacks Immigration CG

    President Muhammadu Buhari has retired the acting Comptroller-general (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Isah Jere Idris.

    This was sequel to the expiration of his initial extended one year tenure as well as the dust raised by several Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), who warned the Presidency against another consideration for Jere.

    The development was contained in secret notification of one year tenure extension expiration memo addressed to Jere.

    The memo, dated April 17, 2023 with code number CDCFIB/APPT.CG&DCG/61/VOL.IV/74 was signed by the secretary to the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, Obasi Edozie Edmond, on the orders of the Board chairman, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who is the Minister of Interior.

    Jere is by the retirement notice directed to hand over the duties and responsibilities of his office to the most senior officer in the Service, pending the appointment of a substantive CG of Immigration.

    Recall that Mr. Isah Jere Idris was appointed in acting capacity just before his retirement in April 2022 but got his tenure for one year ahead of ite expiration.

    The extended tenure will automatically elapse on April 24, 2023.

  • Just In: LP’s Peter Obi detained by UK Immigration [Read details]

    Just In: LP’s Peter Obi detained by UK Immigration [Read details]

    The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, was detained by the United Kingdom’s immigration authorities during the Easter break, Obi-Datti Media, Mr. Diran Onifade, has revealed.

    Obi was questioned over offences believed to have been committed by an imposter.

    Onifade in a statement on Wednesday also said Obi was harassed by London immigration officials and placed on detention.

    “The LP Presidential candidate in the February 25 Presidential poll arrived the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, and joined the queue for the necessary Airport protocols when he was accosted by immigration officials who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside. He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country.

    “Since Obi’s face was already an international frame, especially for Nigerians, Africans home, and in the Diaspora who are likely to be Obidients, the people quickly raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed.

    “The immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal that Obi was being questioned for a duplication offense, meaning that someone has been impersonating him in London.

    “The high implication of the offense is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obi’s name.”

    Onifade also recalled that Obi has been under all kinds of attack, since the February 25th, 2023 presidential election in which he put up an outstanding showing coming third out of 18 contestants as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), though his supporters and many other election watchers including international observers believed very strongly that he won the election but was manipulated out.

    “Since he was told to go to court if he feels strongly about the election which all international monitors chorused were flawed and full of imperfections and he accepted, there have been severe attacks on him from all corners.

    “Even the Federal Government who directed him to go to court even despatched the Minister of Information Lai Mohammad to the United States to attempt at de-marketing him and accused him of treason.

    “Obi’s telephone line was also bugged when they were possibly looking for information to portray him badly before a section of the country who had voted for him massively.

    “As if they were not getting the desired results of denting his image, and possibly placing the traducers under a heavier conscience load, they tried to persuade him to leave the country and go take a rest.

    “It is also not impossible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonators ostensibly to tar the Eagle’s immaculate appearance.

    “The Obi-Datti Media office will like to therefore assure all persons of goodwill especially the Obidients that the Rock is not deterred as he is ready to suffer the pain and remain even more determined to pursue whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria,” Onifade said.

  • Immigration redeploys 41 senior officers ahead of elections

    Immigration redeploys 41 senior officers ahead of elections

    The Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Isah Jere, has approved the immediate reposting of 41 senior officers ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The Public Relations Officer (SPRO) of the service, Comptroller of Immigration (CI), Tony Akuneme, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    Akuneme said the redeployment affected 11 Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) in charge of the various zones as well as 30 Comptrollers posted to new states.

    “The states affected were mainly those that bordered Nigeria with neighbouring countries, such as Yobe, Adamawa, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Oyo, Lagos (Seme Border) and Cross River states.

    “Other states that are getting new Comptrollers include: Gombe, Kaduna, kano, Plateau, Bauchi, FCT, Nassarawa, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers (Marine Command), Anambra and Enugu, among others,” he said.

    The NIS spokesman said all the deployments were with immediate effect, adding that the CG placed a very high premium on the critical role of his personnel towards the success of the forthcoming general elections.

  • Immigration sets timeframe for issuance of passports

    Immigration sets timeframe for issuance of passports

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it is committed to issuing passports between three and six weeks post biometric capture, where there are no technical hitches or application irregularities.

    The NIS spokesperson, Mr. Tony Akuneme, in a statement in Abuja, quoted the Comptroller-General, NIS, Mr. Isa Jere, as saying this at the inauguration of an enhanced e-Passport production facility in Kano on Wednesday.

    Jere, who was represented at the event by the Assistant Comptroller-General, Passport, Sadat Hassan, however, said that the three to six weeks period would be achieved, only when there were no inconsistencies in the NIN of applicants.

    The C-G, who expressed satisfaction with the positive feedbacks from the various Passport offices across the country, said this showed that Nigerians had appreciated the novel initiative.

    He emphasised that NIN remained mandatory for the issuance of Passports and the information in both documents must match.

    “We reiterate our official position that Passport applicants should please avoid using third parties but go online and make their applications/payments themselves at passport.immigration.gov.ng.

    “We will continue to deal with the challenges of recalcitrant touts as well as few bad eggs amongst the personnel who are bent on sabotaging the reform process,” he said.

    He used the opportunity to warn members of the public of the nefarious activities of this racketeering syndicate who have gone a step further to even circulate fake news of Immigration recruitment exercise.

    “The Service is not recruiting at this moment and will always publish such recruitment as usual, anytime we secure Federal Government approval for recruitment,” he said.

    Jere asserted that his management team remained focused on improving service delivery with particular emphasis on efficient and seamless Passport administration, border security and welfare of officers and men of the Service.

    He further explained that the Service intended to keep the two weeks processing timeframe open to all Diasporas until Jan. 31 when the programme would come to an end.

  • Immigration fires 4 personnel, demotes 14

    Immigration fires 4 personnel, demotes 14

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has dismissed four personnel and demoted 14 others for various offences.

    A statement issued by the Spokesperson of the service, Mr Tony Akuneme on Tuesday in Abuja, said that those affected appeared before the Orderly Room Trial Committee of the Service.

    According to him, four other personnel were discharged and acquitted, while two were redeployed to other locations.

    He added that 11 personnel were issued warning letters, one was compulsorily retired, while 11 more are awaiting trial.

    Akuneme explained that the action was taken to rid the service of bad eggs in furtherance of the Federal Government’s fight against corruption.

    “The Controller General of Immigration is assuring the general public that there are no sacred cows in the NIS as all offenders shall be appropriately sanctioned.

    “He is also urging members of public to be vigilant and support the service to deliver more on its mandate,” the spokesman added.

    He urged the general public to always reach out to the NIS through +2348033074681, +2348021819988, Twitter: @nigimmigration and nis.pro@immigration.gov.ng.

  • Immigration rescue 6 human trafficking victims in Jigawa

    Immigration rescue 6 human trafficking victims in Jigawa

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Jigawa Command, said it rescued six victims of human trafficking in the state.

    The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Ahmed Bagari, told newsmen in Dutse on Monday that the victims were rescued by men of the command on Sunday.

    Bagari, represented by DCI Muhammad Yako, said the victims were rescued at about 6:30 p.m. in an uncompleted building in Babura town, headquarters of Babura Local Government Area of the state.

    He explained that the victims, aged between 20 and 35, were intercepted while on their way to Libya en route Niger Republic.

    The comptroller added that the victims, five females, and a male are from Oyo and Nassarawa states.

    According to him, none of the rescued victims was in possession of any travel document and no incriminating items were found on them during interrogation.

    “The victims were rescued on Sunday, the 1st January 2023 on their way to Niger Republic en route Libya.

    “The victims are made up of five females and one male that hailed from Oyo state; only one of them is from Nasarawa State.

    The victims are as follows: Olalekan A. Alabi, aged 35; Kehinde adetunde, 26; Afolabi ajibola, 24; Adedoyin Adetoji, 20; Olawuyi Mose bolatimoyo, 35 and Blessing John, 22.

    “The victims were rescued in an uncompleted building in Babura town which we believe they were kept by a syndicate,” the comptroller said.

    He added that the NIS Comptroller-General, Mr Idris Jere, had directed that the victims be handed over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further action.

    According to him, Jere also advised parents, guardians and the general public to desist from sending their children or wards abroad for non existing greener pastures.

    “Nigeria is far better than the so called greener pastures abroad in terms of freedom and other expectations. It is important to advise parents and guardians and the general public to watch over their children or wards and instill patriotism in them to stay in their country of origin and build it to greater heights.

    “This non existing greener pastures abroad deprives them of their freedom and exposes them to slavery, forced labour, organ harvest and death in the desert and at the sea, en route to their destination,” Bagari said.

    He further urged the general public to exercise their civic responsibilities by reporting cases of human trafficking and other related criminal acts to the nearest security agencies.