The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Muhammad Babandede, has directed passport offices nationwide to maximize the Federal Government phased easing of lockdown by releasing the processed Nigerian international passports to the applicants.

The NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Sunday James, made this disclosure in a statement on Monday, May 4th, 2020 in Abuja.

Babandede had during the lockdown period ordered all the passport offices nationwide to clear all passport backlog for applicants enrolled for immediate issuance when the lockdown is eased.

The statement said,

NIS has directed applicants to follow the NCDC directive on social distancing, wearing of face mask, washing of hands using soap, use of hand sanitizers, among others at the point of collection of the passport.

Applicants are to be invited in batches via SMS, anyone invited will show proof of invitation before they are allowed into the premises which must coincide with the date scheduled for the respective applicant to turn up and collect their passport.

Any passport applicant who did not receive SMS need not visit the passport office until they are invited via SMS to avoid unnecessary crowding and refusal of entry at the entrance to the passport offices,

he said.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.