A human rights group, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has berated the Minister of Interior,Mr. Rauf Aregbesola over delaying in issuance of International Passports to the good people of Nigeria, saying people were held into ransom in various passport offices across the country due to non-availability of processing materials, especially, papers.
It stated that since assumption of office by Aregbesola as political head of the sensitive Ministry, people of the country have been facing series of problems in getting their passport issued at the reasonable time.
Investigation conducted by CHRSJ recently to Ikoyi and Alausa, Lagos State,Ibadan and Osogbo E-passport offices shown that for period of months, those who applied for the issuance of International passport could not get it and this made it difficult for intending travellers, particularly,overseas students, tourists and other with serious engagement abroad to travel to their various destinations.
Recalling that Aregbesola has come up with a story in the Ministry that the materials to be used for the issuance of International passport, would be brought from Malaysia, as he was criminally mismanaged the resources of Osun State for period eight years by also saying he would bring Goodies for good people of the State from Republic of Cuba.
This was contained in a press statement issued and signed by the CHRSJ’s Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman and copies were made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos.
Comrade Sulaiman who insisted that investigation still shows that people were experencing series of pains in Ikoyi and Alausa Passport offices and other designation Passport offices accross the country, stating that in South- West of the country, Osogbo E-passport office had turned to Mecca of sort where people in the South-Western States and other neighbouring States came to get their passport within 3days to two weeks, depending on the cost of the payment.
He stressed that instead of the political head of the Ministry,Mr. Aregbesola to sit up and look inward on how to reduce the suffering of Nigerians in getting their passport issued within the reasonable time,he was gallivating all over the country for unnecessary Turbanning and Chieftaincy brouhaha over 2023 political struggle.
The rights activist advised Aregbesola to see the issuance of International E-Passports as one of the cardinal statutory duties of an agency under his Ministry and he should be alive to this responsibility by ensuring that the Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) performed optimally for the greater good of the Nigeria people.