Nigeria Immigration Service arrests passport racketeering suspects in Ondo

Operatives from the Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have apprehended three suspects allegedly involved in passport racketeering. The suspects, identified as Etaoghere Cyril, Okunika Joy, and Adehaka Blessing, were paraded at the NIS passport office in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.

Deputy Superintendent Oladapo Bayode, the command’s Public Relations Officer, revealed that these suspects were charging inflated prices for passports. They were asking for N80,500 for a 32-page, five-year validity passport, N100,500 for a 64-page, five-year validity passport, and N165,000 for a 64-page, 10-year validity passport. These rates contradicted the official costs published on the NIS website.

The arrest of the suspects was initiated following several complaints from the public regarding irregularities in passport administration that led to fraudulent activities. The NIS took action by sending an officer undercover to pose as a civilian seeking a passport from this alleged syndicate in Akure.

Deputy Superintendent Oladapo Bayode emphasized that the Nigerian passport is not a commodity open to bargaining, and the NIS does not employ agents to act on its behalf. He also mentioned that the lengthy delays in passport issuance are now a thing of the past, and passports will be issued within two weeks, as directed by the Minister of Interior.

One of the arrested suspects revealed that he collected money from a victim who had fallen for his scam on Facebook.