Immigration arrests three suspects for passport racketeering in Ondo

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Ondo State Command has apprehended three individuals involved in a passport racketeering scheme.

The suspects, identified as Etaoghere Cyril, Okunika Joy, and Adehaka Blessing, were presented to the public at the NIS passport office in Akure, the state’s capital.

According to Deputy Superintendent Oladapo Bayode, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, these individuals were charging exorbitant fees for passports. They were demanding N80,500 for a 32-page, five-year validity passport, N100,500 for a 64-page, five-year validity passport, and N165,000 for a 64-page, 10-year validity passport.

Bayode emphasized that the suspects’ actions were in direct violation of the officially published passport fees on the NIS website.

The arrest of these individuals followed a series of complaints from concerned citizens about irregularities in passport administration leading to fraudulent activities.

He said: “On hearing of such a syndicate in Akure, the PCO sent an officer to disguise himself as a civilian looking to obtain a passport.

“We must make it known to members of the public that the Nigerian passport being issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service is neither a commodity that can be bargained over nor a service that NIS employs agents to carry out on her behalf. Again, I would like to state that the era of waiting for months to obtain a passport is over.

“We want to use this medium to encourage citizens of the state and environs who wish to apply for a Nigerian passport to approach the Nigeria Immigration Service, Akure Passport Office along Igbatoro Road, Alagbaka, Akure. Your passports will be out within two weeks as directed by the Minister of Interior.”

One of the suspects disclosed that he collected money from his victim, who fell for his scam on Facebook.