The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) said it has tried and dismissed over 80 officers for receiving illegal fees to issue or renew passports.
The public relations officer (PRO) of the NIS, Tony Akuneme, said this on Sunday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, May 14.
“We have tried as much as possible to eliminate third parties so that if you really want, you can process the application of your passport from the comfort of your room on your laptop, android phones and you can pay online.
“You don’t really need anybody whether immigration officers or agents, who we usually call touts. They have upgraded and become agents. They are still third parties,” Akuneme said.
He noted that the disciplinary measures were part of efforts by the NIS to reform its operations in the country, and urged Nigerians to desist from patronising third parties when applying for passports.
“We have continued to punish NIS officers and men who try to assist people for a fee. You can assist people genuinely but not extorting from them. We are committed to curbing corruption and other illicit acts in the service.
“Don’t patronise agents; fill your forms yourself. We have officers watching and these agents know they are being watched. When they take money from you, tell us. If we don’t take action, tell the world,” he said.
In 2022, The ICIR reported the widespread corruption, racketeering and misconduct within the NIS.
The report revealed how Nigerians attempting to secure international passports at the Immigration offices were forced to pay certain illegal fees by officials.
Akuneme also said that security around the country’s borders was part of the Service’s agenda under the current Comptroller-General, Isah Jere.
The ICIR also reported that only 86 out of 1,500 borders were under the supervision of the Nigerian government, which could affect the outcome of the forthcoming 2023 elections.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.