The Nigerian government has launched an additional Passport Front Office in Auchi, Edo State as part of efforts to ensure efficient service delivery to Nigerians. According to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) office will enhance passport production, thereby solving the challenges of long waiting periods and providing faster processing.
Aregbesola noted that except for those who intend to travel outside the country, most citizens hold a passport solely for identification purposes. He assured Nigerians of the government’s commitment to offering the passport to anyone seeking it within a reasonable time, at an affordable cost, and without any difficulty.
However, Aregbesola expressed his concerns about a surge in demand for passport applications in Edo state, which might increase the waiting period between the time of application and collection. He explained that fresh passport application would take six weeks after biometric data registration, and renewal would take three weeks under the current work schedule.
In response to this challenge, the minister disclosed that all applicants would henceforth be placed on a queue to determine their registration date, based on their centre of choice. He, however, stated that it might take up to two months for highly competitive centres where demand for application is very high.
Aregbesola commended the NIS’s efforts to eliminate touts and racketeers in the passport production process, which has led to the introduction of E-border Management, MIDAS, and E-Passport issuance across Control Offices and Diplomatic Missions,
Also, during his visit to the Otaru of Auchi’s Palace, HRH Alhaji Aliru H. Momoh (Ikelebe III), the Minister of Interior was turbaned as the “Rafeeq (Bosom Friend) of Auchi Sacred Kingdom”. This move underlines Aregbesola’s dedication to Nigeria’s peaceful coexistence and his long-standing relationship with the people of Auchi.
