The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kogi State Command, has denied allegations of fraud and hoarding of international passport booklets.
Deputy Comptroller Friday Agada clarified that the recent influx of international passports applicants to Kogi state to shortage of financial passport booklets in the neighbouring states.
As the Passport Control Officer in the Kogi state command, Agada stated that allegations of fraud, favouritism and passport booklet hoarding are false, frivolous and baseless.
He explained pointed that thousands of passports produced for applicants are lying in the office.
“It is possible that new applicants may be on the same queue with old applicants who come to collect his/her passport. And when such an old applicant get inside and collect his/her passport, new applicants may regards such as favouritism.
“We have many sections in the passport control department. When I came on board, I introduced alternation to create room for officers to have knowledge of the process in all the sections. while some officers kicked against the rotational system, others supported and they are all enjoying the system now.
“I also put a full stop to manipulations, shortcut practices, and that everybody must follow due process, first come – first serve. Those who are not ready to adhere to all these are those laying flimsy excuses and adopting blame-game syndrome.
“However, sometimes we give priority attention to some pressing issues. Issues like when one has health challenges and needed medical attention outside the country. We’ll give quick and adequate attention to such applicant to save life.
“The minister has assured the ministry that in no distance time shortage of financial passport booklet would be a thing of the past,” he explained.
He advised passport applicants to stop patronizing touts that are roaming around the premises of passport control department to avoid being manipulated.
