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Nigeria’s new Immigration boss catches corrupt officials after posing as passport applicant

Nigeria’s Acting Comptroller-General of Immigration Service (NIS) has caught corrupt passport officials after storming their offices incognito and pretending to be an applicant.

Nigeria’s new Immigration boss catches officials after pretending to be passport applicant

Isa Idris said he deliberately attempted acquiring an international passport at the Lagos State Command in Ikoyi on Monday when some officials tried to dupe him without knowing he was their boss.

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He told Premium Times that he intended to ascertain for himself the difficulties passport applicants have been going through at the hands of unscrupulous officials.

Isa Idris who assumed office in September said: “When I approached the officers, they offered me the menu without recognising me. They said 32 pages of the international passport for five years would cost me N45,000 instead of N27,000. They said 64 pages for five years would cost me N55,000 instead of N37,000, and N95,000 for 64 pages for 10 years instead of N72,000.

“I was asked where I was from and I said Niger State. They also asked me if I had a letter of indigeneship and other documents and I said I didn’t have anyone. So, they said they would collect N3,500 to provide all the documents for me.”

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According to the Immigration boss, his discovery from the undercover investigation proves that the international passport issuance system has been compromised and needs an overhaul.

“With what I have experienced firsthand today, it simply means that anybody can come in from anywhere and obtain our passport. This is unacceptable. So, I can assure you that the Immigration Service under our watch will strengthen the issuance process and the integrity of the document,” he assured.

He went further to vow that the employees who were caught during his secret visit would suffer consequences for their criminal acts.

“The laws are there, and so they will be made to face the law. There are about three of them but we are very sure that it is an organised crime. They are not alone but further investigations would reveal that.”

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