NIS CHIEF VOWS PROSECUTION OF OFFICERS INVOLVED IN FRAUDULENT PASSPORT ISSUANCE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, has declared a tough stance against corruption within the passport issuance system, vowing to prosecute officers involved in the illegal issuance of Nigerian passports to foreign nationals.
Speaking on Wednesday at the NIS headquarters in Abuja while declaring open a three-day workshop for passport control officers, Nandap condemned the fraudulent activity, saying the Service’s legal department is pursuing disciplinary action against culprits.
“We’ll make sure that we prosecute them. They will not go free, not anymore. It is not acceptable,” Nandap said.
Themed “Strengthening Identity Management Through Innovations in Passport Administration,” the training session brought renewed attention to persistent challenges within the passport system. Nandap emphasised that each passport issued must represent integrity, due diligence, and credible identity verification.
The Immigration Chief’s warning follows repeated reports of non-Nigerians fraudulently acquiring the green passport. In 2022, a House of Representatives investigation uncovered over 7,000 suspected cases over five years, with criminal networks reselling the passports to traffickers in Europe and the Gulf region.
In March 2025, Interpol flagged 27 fake Nigerian passports intercepted in Europe, later traced back to enrolment centres in Lagos and Kano.
“Before you issue anybody with that passport, make sure that you are satisfied that this person is a bona fide Nigerian,” Nandap warned.
“We are getting too many incessant issues of non-Nigerians acquiring our passports.”
She urged passport officers to exercise heightened vigilance and report any suspicious activities. According to her, officers must also take ownership of the vetting process, drawing on professional experience and keen observation to detect fraudulent identities.
Nandap also used the occasion to highlight broader reforms under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including the introduction of contactless passport systems and automation tools to improve service delivery.
She charged officers to adopt a hands-on approach, discourage passivity, and embrace new innovations with professionalism and ethical commitment. She stressed that training was not just a formality but a critical part of transforming the NIS’s service delivery.
“You cannot afford to break that trust because of the image of the system. Nigerians expect better from us, and this uniform we’re wearing is a symbol of trust,” she noted.
The Comptroller-General also reaffirmed the NIS’s zero-tolerance policy for corruption and fraud, warning that any officer found complicit would face immediate disciplinary measures.
“Anybody who is associated or caught in such acts will be dealt with severely, immediately, and with consequences,” she stated.
At the same time, she pledged that the Service would continue to recognise and reward outstanding officers who uphold integrity and deliver excellence.
“Since we are meting out consequences on erring people, we also reward excellence,” Nandap said.
“The ordinary is not enough. It is not acceptable anymore.”
Nandap encouraged participants to be fully engaged in the training, emphasising the importance of equipping officers with actionable strategies and a strong ethical foundation to restore and preserve the credibility of Nigeria’s passport system.
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