The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has stated that the new conditions introduced as prerequisites for obtaining or renewing international passports were instituted to curb the acquisition of Nigerian passports by non-citizens.
The Minister made this known in Abuja while responding to queries from the press, according to a statement on Wednesday from his media aide, Babatunde Alao.
While emphasizing that the passport is a security document exclusive to Nigerian citizens, the Minister assured that the new conditions would impede non-Nigerians from acquiring the passport, revealing that foreigners have exploited the inefficiencies of the previous system.
The Minister acknowledged challenges faced by new passport applicants, assuring the public of an enhanced process in the coming weeks while also emphasizing that the reform was aimed at simplifying the passport acquisition process for Nigerians by facilitating speedy online application, production, and passport collection.
According to the Minister, the new conditions includes the provision of a citizenship certificate, date of birth certificate, and the National Identification Number (NIN). These he noted, have become critical in verifying an applicant’s true citizenship.
