The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has cleared a backlog of almost 60,000 within four working days, the Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has revealed.
Naija News reports that the development comes barely a week after the minister gave a two-week ultimatum for the NIS to clear all passport backlog in the country.
Tunji-Ojo had taken to X, formerly Twitter, last week Thursday to instruct the contractors working with the NIS to ensure that passport application backlogs are cleared “within the next two weeks”
He said it was part of the several “swift measures” aimed at eliminating barriers which applicants encounter.
The minister noted that “As part of swift measures to remove all bottlenecks in the acquisition of passport and immigration documents, I engaged service providers to the immigration service to ensure the backlogs of applications are cleared within the next two weeks.”
However, barely a week after his directive, the minister on Tuesday, in a statement by his spokesman Alao Babatunde said it was not appropriate for Nigerians to queue endlessly for passports.
Tunji-Ojo told the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu, who paid him a courtesy call, “When we came on board, the passport crisis was an embarrassment. And, we said: it cannot continue!
“Nigerians should not have to queue endlessly to get passports. No, this must stop.
“As of this morning, I can tell you that about 60,000 passport backlogs have been cleared, especially 59,906. On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, when I gave the 2-week ultimatum, we had over 200,000 backlogs. We have recorded progress, and I maintain my word that those backlogs must be cleared.”
Discussing her reason for the visit, Edu said her ministry wants to partner with the interior ministry to tackle human trafficking and other related challenges, including poor veterans’ welfare, underemployment, and poverty among citizens.
In response, the interior minister said, ”His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed us to see the place of partnership as agents of his #RenewedHope Agenda, and we are here to deliver on this mandate.
“We assure you of our support. Your initiative is progressive and commendable, especially at this crucial time in the history of our country. There is a lot of work to be done, and we cannot work in silos as the President has directed.”
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