Senate To Probe Passports Issuance, Renewal Delay

The Senate on Tuesday directed its Committee on Interior to investigate the circumstances causing the delay in the issuance and renewal of passports by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The upper chamber also mandated the committee to investigate the contract award for the production of passports and submit the report of its probe within two weeks.

The Senate issued these directives to its Committee on Interior at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday following a motion by Senator Uche Ekwunife who said Nigerians are facing hardship and stress in getting their passports.

She explained that despite the six weeks timeline given by the NIS to process passports, Nigerians now spend between three to six months to get them.

The lawmaker further noted that it has become extremely difficult for passports to be processed in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja and this is creating a situation where Nigerians who reside in those states now have to travel to other states in the country to process their passports.