The Federal Government has vowed to remove the obstacles in the issuance and retrieval process of Nigerian passports. Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this announcement over the weekend during a meeting with the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo assured that the government is committed to restoring the honour and trustworthiness of the Nigerian passport by reducing incidents of identity theft. He explained that measures are being put in place to ease the congestion in Nigeria’s prisons by up to 40% through the implementation of non-custodial alternatives.
He also called upon the EU to offer assistance in addressing the numerous challenges faced by the continent. He stated, “We have initiated the process of removing bottlenecks in our international passport application and collection procedures. We have already made significant strides in this regard. Additionally, we are devising strategies to minimize cases of identity theft. Our objective is to restore the prestige and credibility of the Nigerian passport.”
He further added, “If we can effectively address issues related to crime and migration in Nigeria, it will have a positive impact on the entire African continent.”
In response, Isopi pledged the EU’s support, particularly in terms of technical assistance for managing illegal migration, combating human trafficking, and addressing smuggling issues.
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