Newly appointed Comptroller of the Lagos State command, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Bala Aliyu Dangana has said that passport seekers must desist from entreating the services of touts as their major aim is to exploit. Besides they have absolutely no role in the application, processing and acquiring of the document.
He said that NIS is committed to eliminating touts completely and enjoined Nigerians to apply online using the approved portals assuring that they would get their passport within three weeks of capturing for renewal, and six weeks for fresh applicants.
At the inaugural meeting of the new Comptroller with key command management team in the state and the media in Lagos recently, Dangana who assumed the new role on 5th July, also stated that online application process is easier and cheaper, as passport-seekers would have sidestepped the bottleneck of corruption.
He expressed his delight at his new post, stating: “I feel greatly privileged to be entrusted with the complex and challenging responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the most strategic Immigration command in the country.
“Lagos State command doubles as the birthplace of the Nigeria Immigration Service and coincidentally the command with the highest number of transiting and resident migrant population in the country. This is by virtue of the fact that Lagos is the commercial nerve centre of the country and also the only state with International Ports of entry that can be accessed via the land, air and maritime domain”.
He solicited the support of the Command’s management team, and all officers and men of the service, saying: “I shall lead the charge with regard to implementing a strict adherence to the core mandate of the service and the reform policies of the Ag CGI, whose unquestionable resolve to reposition the NIS is already yielding positive results”.
He extended a hand of fellowship to all critical stakeholders, all sister security agencies, as well as the Lagos State Government, while maintaining an open-door policy.
Under his watch, Dangana said the Command would carry out its respective duties with diligence, and maintain zero tolerance for corruption and corrupt practices.
He stressed that the directives of the Acting Comptroller General of Immigrationwould be religiously followed at the service’s Passport Office at Alausa and the Front desk Office at Alimoso.
He said that, to that effect, members of the public who wish to acquire or apply for the re-issuance of their expired international passport are enjoined to access the links: appointments.immigration.gov.ng/availability; as well as passport.immigration.gov.ng for self-initiated online applications.
“All applicants who have concluded their online application should afterwards proceed to the Servicom Unit of the respective applicants’ chosen Passport Control Offices or Front Desk office in Lagos on their appointments dates for the processing of their application at no additional cost”, he stated.
On the duration applicants would have to wait, Comptroller Dangana said: “Three weeks for renewal and six weeks for fresh issuance, save encumbrances such as booklet shortage or other operational equipment as well as delays caused by inaccurate information input on the part of applicants”.
He also said that the date of capture for those who apply online is automatically generated by the system once information is uploaded by the applicant and payment is made. He added that it is usually the next available date, depending on traffic.
He disclosed that the agency is gradually inching towards a situation, where applicants can apply and get their passports delivered without stepping out of their homes.
The immediate past Minister of the Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola already initiated that process, he added.
