Rights group, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice, has berated the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, over the delay in obtaining international passports by Nigerians.
The group also lamented the exploitation being carried out by staff of the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman, Executive Chairman of CHRSJ, stated that Nigerians experience an unnecessary delay in various passport offices across the country due to non-availability of processing materials, especially papers.
Sulaiman, who heaped the blame on Aregbesola, said that, “Since assumption of office by Aregbesola as head of the ministry, people of the country have been facing a series of problems in getting their passport issued at a reasonable time.”
According to CHRSJ Executive Chairman, an investigation conducted by CHRSJ recently to Ikoyi and Alausa, Lagos State,Ibadan and Osogbo e-passport offices have shown that for a period of months, those who applied for the issuance of international passport could not get it and this made it difficult for intending travellers, particularly, overseas students, tourists and others with serious engagement abroad to travel to their various destinations.
The rights activist advised Aregbesola to see the issuance of international e-passports as one of the cardinal statutory duties of an agency under his ministry.
