Connect with us

News

Nigerian Passports Would be Issued Within Two Weeks- Tunji-Ojo

Published

on

Nigerian Passports Would be Issued Within Two Weeks- Tunji-Ojo

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has said that from December passports would be made available in two weeks to applicants.

The Minister also promised that Nigerians would also be saved of the pains of having to wait on the queue to upload the needed information to get passport issued. He said that registration would be done online and the only thing that would be needed to be done at any passport office is the biometrics capture and the collection of issued passports.

He said the ministry is working at getting the needed equipment to make this possible in December

The minister gave the promise during a press briefing where he disclosed to journalists how the ministry, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other stakeholders achieved clearance of 204,332 passports backlogs across the country within three weeks.

The minister said it all started when Mr. President said: “look I didn’t appoint you to that ministry to give excuses, go and change the narratives, especially of passports applications and collections. Nigerians have had enough of that problem. “

He said in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the Ministry of Interior, the NIS, and other stakeholders aligned with “the talk and do” mantra of the present administration.

Tunji-Ojo revealed to journalists how the deadline he handed down on the 7th of September was delivered by the Immigration Service, stating that personnel of NIS had to do three shifts each day including Saturdays and Sundays to deliver.

According to him, the Service providers of the NIS were also made to double up their printing capacities and capabilities, especially in areas where passports backlogs were higher.

The minister said:” Yes. I gave two weeks deadline. I however have to apologise to Nigerians that we delivered on it in three weeks. We had 204,332 Nigerians whose data had been captured. And we cannot continue to watch them waiting endlessly. I visited the headquarters of the Immigration Service and told them the narratives must change.

“So in critical frontline desks like Ikeja, Alausa, Ikoyi, Ibadan, Abuja, we ordered that more printing machines be brought in by the Service providers. Then we increased the working hours of the personnel of NIS. They started running three shifts.

“Let me at this juncture commend the Acting Comptroller General of the Immigration Service, Mrs Wura-Ola Adepoju, especially for her positive responses to the pressures I mounted on her. I would call her late and demand updates, and she would provide updates. That was the spirit. “

Tunji-Ojo however revealed that so far out of the 204,332 backlogs cleared, only 94,981 have been collected by the applicants, leaving 109,351 yet uncollected.

He said while the entire backlogs were cleared as of October 1st, Nigerians should appreciate the extraordinary efforts of those who made it possible by showing up in the various offices of NIS to collect the travel documents.

He regretted that for instance in Ikoyi Passports office, 39,170 backlogs were cleared, only about 9,458 applicants have showed up to collect the booklets. And while 21,108 were cleared in Alausa, a huge number of applicants are yet to show up to collect the documents.

The Minister said to sustain the momentum, the Ministry would embark on some reforms with the NIS, stating that by December this year, Nigerians can upload all supporting documents including their passports online to the Immigration Service.

He said the measures would reduce human interfaces and corrupt practices, while bureaucratic bottlenecks that have been dismantled would not resurface anymore.

According to him, applicants would only show up at Immigration offices for biometric capturing of data as it would reduce applications and collections of passports to two weeks.

Nigerian Passports Would be Issued Within Two Weeks- Tunji-Ojo

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Youth attempt to disarm soldiers enforcing curfew in Niger

Published

on

Youth attempt to disarm soldiers enforcing curfew in Niger

By: Zagazola Makama

Some youths in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State allegedly attempted to disarm soldiers enforcing a curfew before fleeing the scene, security sources have said.

Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred at about 10:35 p.m. on March 10 when troops of the 221 Battalion, Wawa Cantonment, were on patrol to enforce the curfew declared by the Chairman of Borgu Local Government.

According to the sources, the troops were patrolling along the Correctional Service Office area in New Bussa when they intercepted some motorcycles.

During the encounter, some aggressive youths reportedly began stoning the soldiers and attempted to struggle with them in a bid to seize a rifle, while also hurling abusive language.

The troops fired warning shots into the air to disperse the youths, who later fled the scene.

The Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service subsequently reported the incident to the police.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in New Bussa immediately mobilised more security personnel to the area, but the youths had already dispersed.

Community leaders, including the village head, were later invited and cautioned to maintain peace and ensure residents avoid confrontations or misunderstandings with security personnel.

Security sources said no arrest was made and no injury was recorded, while the military troops continued their patrol in the area.

Youth attempt to disarm soldiers enforcing curfew in Niger

Continue Reading

News

ISWAP appoints Abu Ameer as new pulka commander after neutralization of Modu Kundiri

Published

on

ISWAP appoints Abu Ameer as new pulka commander after neutralization of Modu Kundiri

By: Zagazola Makama

Following the recent neutralization of Modu Kundiri, the senior commander (Qa’id) of Pulka camp in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has appointed a replacement to sustain its operational command in the area.

Intelligence reports obtained on the evening of March 11, 2026, revealed that ISWAP leadership quickly designated Abu Ameer as the new commander (Qa’id) of Pulka camp. The move pointed out to the group’s efforts in maintaining command continuity despite recent setbacks.

Kundiri had served as the senior commander, also known as Qa’id, of the group’s Pulka camp, a strategic operational hub located in the southern axis of Borno near the border with Adamawa State and Cameroon.

Pulka occupies a critical position in the insurgency landscape due to its geographical proximity to the border regions linking Borno State with Adamawa State and neighbouring Cameroon.

The area has historically served as a transit corridor for insurgent fighters, logistics supplies and communication networks operating across multiple theatres.

According to intelligence discussions intercepted on March 11, fighters loyal to the group are still present in Ngalta village, located between Pulka in Gwoza LGA and Madagali Local Government Area in Adamawa State.

The disclosure reportedly came during internal exchanges among insurgent members, where a fighter identified as Konto informed another member, Manya, about the continued presence of fighters in the area.

Such conversations indicated that despite losing commanders, the group continues to maintain operational cells and surveillance elements within the Pulka–Ngalta–Madagali corridor.
The continued presence of fighters in Ngalta village suggests that the insurgents may still retain limited operational capability along the Borno–Adamawa border axis. Such locations often function as temporary regrouping points or staging areas for movement between remote settlements.

The development therefore point to the need for sustained intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance and coordinated ground operations across the corridor.

Zagazola emphasise the importance of maintaining strong collaboration between military forces, local vigilante groups and community intelligence networks to detect insurgent movement.

The development comes amid ongoing operations by the Nigerian military to dismantle ISWAP strongholds across the Northeast and reinforce stability in affected communities.

ISWAP appoints Abu Ameer as new pulka commander after neutralization of Modu Kundiri

Continue Reading

News

Buni attends funeral prayers of Wali Shettima, elder brother, in Nauru

Published

on

Buni attends funeral prayers of Wali Shettima, elder brother, in Nauru

By: Yahaya Wakili

The Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN, and other top government functionaries attended today the funeral prayers for Ba Wali Shettima, elder brother to Yobe State Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali mni, in Nguru town of Yobe State.

Ably represented by his deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana (Wazirin Fune), the funeral prayers were led by the chief imam of Nguru Central Mosque, Shiek Ibrahim Shehu Ahmad.

The governor described the death of the renowned Islamic scholar Ba Wali as a huge loss not only to the Nguru community but to the whole Yobe state.

Gubana further extolled the virtues of the late Ba Wali as a committed and dedicated cleric, an epitome of peace and knowledge who contributed his own quota towards teaching and propagating Islam.

Late Ba Wali died at the University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, on Tuesday after a protracted illness at the age of 80. He is survived by a wife, ten (10) children, and many grandchildren.

Special prayers were offered by Chief Imam Shiek Ibrahim Shehu Ahmad. May Aljanna Firdausi be the reward of his good deeds. Amin, suma Amin.

Buni attends funeral prayers of Wali Shettima, elder brother, in Nauru

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights