Nigerians residing in the United Kingdom stormed the Nigerian High Commission in London on Wednesday morning to protest significant delays in issuing international passports.
The protesters claimed they have been waiting for over six months after submitting their applications and are voicing their frustrations with chants and placards.
The demonstrators carried placards demanding the immediate cancellation of additional fees imposed on passport applicants by the embassy.
In a post by an X user, some of the placards show, “Nigerian passport is our right. Say no to $318 extra fee,” and “Minister, you promised us two weeks. It is six months now.” “Bashir Aminu Must go,” other placards read.
The protest highlights the ongoing dissatisfaction with the Nigerian government’s handling of passport applications.
Recall that in December 2023, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had assured that passports would be processed within two weeks.
He also promised to alleviate the need for lengthy queues by implementing an online registration system, with only biometric capture and passport collection required at passport offices.
During a press briefing last December, the Minister announced that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other stakeholders, had cleared a backlog of 204,332 passports within three weeks.
The Minister emphasised that necessary equipment was being acquired to streamline the passport issuance process.
Despite these assurances, the ongoing protest in London shows the gap between the Minister’s promises and the current reality Nigerian nationals abroad face.
The Nigerian High Commission in London has yet to respond to the protesters’ demands or provide an update on measures being taken to address the delays at the time of this report.
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