Immigration takes advantage of ease in lockdown to commence issuance of passports

Chinazor Megbolu

The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Muhammad Babandede, has ordered passport offices across the country to begin issuance of passports.

The Federal Government agency in a statement released on Monday through the Service Public Relations Officer (SPEO), Mr Sunday James, Babandede disclosed that passport officers were asked to take advantage of the Government’s phased easing of lockdown to release the processed passport to the applicants.

The NIS boss explained that the Federal Government phased and gradual easing of lockdown was effective from yesterday, Monday 4, 2020.

It will be recalled that Babandede had during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in the country, directed all the passport offices across the nation to clear all passport backlog for applicants enrolled for immediate issuance when the lockdown is lifted.

The agency, however, urged applicants to follow the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) directives on social distancing, wearing of facemask, washing of hands using soap, use of hand sanitizers among others at the point of collection of the passport.

According to him; “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”.