Man\’s PhD application hanging, as Benue NIS officials \’sells passports to highest bidder\’

Benjamin Iornder Gesah, a Benue State resident, has accused the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in the state of deliberately refusing to process his passport renewal application.

Gesah told FIJ he made a renewal request at the NIS office located in Makurdi in August when he knew his current passport would soon expire.

“On August 8, 2022, I went to the Nigerian Immigration Service office in Makurdi, Benue State for the renewal of my passport. They made a xerox copy of my current passport and returned the original copy to me,” Gesah said.

“I paid the official amount of ₦28,000 for the renewal and I was told renewal does not take longer like a fresh application. The officials that attended to me also assured me it would be ready in three weeks.

“When it was exactly three weeks, I did not go. I decided to wait to make it a month period. So, on September 9, I went back, thinking my passport would have been ready for pick up. Unfortunately, they told me that they were out of booklets and could not print my passport.

“On Monday, September 28, I went back again and they still claimed that there was unavailability of booklets nationwide.”

Gesah told FIJ that one of the immigration officers, who refused to disclose his identity, told him in confidence that the claim that booklets were unavailable was false.

“One of the officials later confided in me that there are enough booklets, but the officers have created a system that allows only those who could pay at least ₦60,000 to get their applications processed on time,” Gesah said.

“So, those who could not pay above the normal amount would wait for months and the only story they would be hearing is booklet unavailability. Meanwhile, it is not true.”

“On September 16 and 22 respectively, I complained via email to the command via benue@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng and zoneH@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng, but, till date, no reply has come from them to me.”

Gesah is also concerned that he may end up missing out on his application for a PhD programme, as details of the passport would partly determine if his request is successful.

“I am presently working on applying for a PhD programme abroad and the minimum validity period of my passport must be six months from expiry date,” he said.

“As an international student, my passport represents my ID, and the passport number will serve as my application ID. Without it, I cannot submit my application and it is closing soon.”

When FIJ interviewed Ngufan Akaa, the NIS spokesperson in the state, on the matter, she said the PhD hopeful “should come and prove his accusation at her office”.

“Can he prove it? He should come to my office and prove his accusation,” Akaa said.

“Renewal of passports takes only three weeks, excluding weekends and public holidays. He should confirm if his application has been up to three weeks.”

This report was produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation