Immigration Chief orders probe into passport scam exposed by PREMIUM TIMES

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, has ordered an immediate investigation into cases of bribery and corruption at passport offices as reported by PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Babadende said the investigation would seek to identify parties involved in the scam.

PREMIUM TIMES on Friday published the first part of an investigation into corruption and extortion perpetrated by Immigration officers in its Lagos office.

The report showed how Immigration officers, in well-coordinated racketeering, rip-off applicants, charging nearly double the approved amount to process international passport for unsuspecting Nigerians.

The report also revealed how touts operating in connivance with immigration officers, receive payment and process bank transactions on behalf of Immigration officers.

Mr. Babadende praised PREMIUM TIMES for “taking time to assist the NIS leadership to discover and bring to the attention of the service issues that the CGI in his official capacity frowns at”.

“As a very responsible and credible media, the NIS leadership appreciates such partnership and patriotic spirit, the CGI directed that I thank you for the good work,” spokesperson for Immigration Service, S. James, said in a statement Saturday.

The Comptroller General vowed to identify all parties involved and tackle issues mentioned in the report.

“The Comptroller General Immigration MFR, has directed for intermediate investigation into the Premium Times newspaper report of Friday 18th August, 2017 in an effort to identify all the party’s involved and to ascertain the issues mentioned in line with his policy of zero tolerance for corruption and any act that may jeopardize all efforts to ease service delivery to the public especially Nigerians,” the statement said.

A second part of the report is to be published on a later date.