NIS issued 3 million passports in 3 years –  Aregbesola 

The Minister of Interiors, Engr. Ogbeni, Rauf Aregbesola, Tuesday, cautioned officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) against “hoarding and extortions of the passports to create undue scarcity”.

This was just as the Minister disclosed that a total of 3 million Passports were issued to Nigerians between 2019 to 2022 by the NIS.

According to him, “last year alone, 1.3 million passports were issued. Also, last time I checked, over 250,000 passports remained uncollected by applicants”.

Aregbesola stated this at the official launching of the enhanced e-Passport in Benin, Asaba and Warri passport offices.
He also commissioned the passport production centre at the Benin Passport office, Edo State command.

He disclosed that the setting up the office in Benin City was due to the high demands of the passports in Edo and Delta states, maintaining that Edo ranks next to Lagos State in terms of the demands.

Continuing, the Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari expressed regret that Nigerians are always denied passports, and noted that “with the Enhanced e-Passport, such will now be a thing of the past.

“And whoever disregard any Nigerian, whoever exploit any Nigerian in their quest to get this document will be dealt with personally by me. This is the last time I am going to warn,” he said.