The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday paid an unannounced visit to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in Gwagwalada, Abuja, where he expressed displeasure over delays in passport processing and warned applicants against making payments outside approved fees.
During the inspection, the minister visited the VIP and Children section of the passport office, engaging immigration officials and applicants to understand the cause of prolonged waiting times. He questioned why applicants were still waiting several hours after the office was expected to commence operations.
Tunji-Ojo cautioned immigration officers against collecting unofficial charges under any guise, stressing that Nigerians had already paid fully for passport services.
“I don’t want to hear that you are collecting money for diesel or paper. Nigerians have paid for their passports completely. Serve them diligently,” the minister said.
He expressed concern that only a few applicants had been attended to long after opening hours, despite the section being designated for expedited services. According to him, efficiency should reflect in the number of applicants processed within a short time.
The minister also questioned the slow pace of enrolment and biometric capturing, noting that the process should take only a few minutes per applicant. Immigration officials explained that although the office was scheduled to open at 8am, operations started around 9am after the generator was powered.
Tunji-Ojo criticised the practice of completing enrolment for all applicants before commencing biometric capturing, insisting that both processes should run simultaneously to reduce waiting time and improve service delivery.
“You are wasting people’s precious time. Time is money. Time is expensive. It is unacceptable,” he said.
He further faulted the under-utilisation of the VIP and Children section, noting that applicants from other sections could have been redirected to ease congestion.
Reiterating his stance on fairness and efficiency, the minister stressed that public service must prioritise citizens’ needs.
“Nigeria has no VIP. When you wear this uniform, you wear a uniform of sacrifice. You are here to work for the people,” Tunji-Ojo declared.
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