THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has unveiled upgraded central e-Passport Production Centers for Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano States.
The spokesman of NIS, Tony Akuneme, said the Service chose to locate the Center in Kano to bring improved passport processing services closer to the throngs of passport applicants in Kano and its surroundings.
The Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris, MFR, informed Nigerians in the statement that the passport reform process was still ongoing, particularly the fast track program created especially for individuals who returned from various areas of the world for the Yuletide holiday.
Represented at the event by the Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Standard Passport, Sadat Hassan, the CGI said: “We intend to keep the two weeks processing timeframe open to all diasporas until January 31st when the program will come to an end.“
He stated that the NIS is still committed to issuing Passports within the stipulated timeframe of three to six weeks, post biometric capture, where there are no technical hitches or application irregularities such as inconsistencies in the NIN of applicants.
The CGI emphasized that NIN remains mandatory for the issuance of enhanced e-Passport 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 and payments themselves at passport.immigration.gov.ng.
“We 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.”
CGI Jere stated that his management team will continue to be committed to enhancing service delivery, placing a special emphasis on border security, effective and seamless passport administration, and the welfare of service officers and men.
The Executive Governor of the State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, applauded the Service for being the first nation in Africa to roll out the improved e-Passport when opening the facility in Kano’s Farm Centre neighborhood.
The Governor, who was represented at the event by the Kano State Commissioner for Budget, Alhaji Danazumi Grazo, expressed gratitude to NIS for choosing the ancient city of Kano as the location for the Center and suggested that it might have been due to the State’s tranquil atmosphere.
