The Nigerians in Diaspora Civic Forum has accused the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom of imposing additional charges on Nigerians seeking to benefit from the Federal Government’s special passport intervention programme.
The group, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Christopher Babafemi Akinola, alleged that the extra fees being charged applicants were not authorised by the Ministry of Interior or the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
According to the Forum, reports of additional charges had initially led some Nigerians to believe that the Ministry of Interior was responsible. It, however, claimed that information available to it indicated that the charges originated from the Nigerian High Commission in the UK.
The Forum expressed concern over the development, saying it was capable of undermining the purpose of the special passport intervention designed to make passport processing easier for Nigerians living abroad.
It said the intervention was introduced to provide Nigerians in the UK with additional options for processing passport applications and was not intended to attract fees beyond the officially approved charges.
According to the group, applicants are expected to pay $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding applicable bank charges.
“Neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service has introduced any other charges outside the aforementioned official fees,” the Forum said.
It also referred to the Ministry of Interior’s position that consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address challenges being experienced by applicants under the programme.
The group absolved the Ministry of Interior and its minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, of responsibility for the disputed charges.
It argued that while passport administration within Nigeria falls under the Ministry of Interior and the NIS, Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad operate under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which oversees High Commission premises and consular activities.
The Forum alleged that some of the additional payments, including postal orders payable to the High Commission, were introduced through the diplomatic mission and were not remitted to the Ministry of Interior.
It consequently called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify the circumstances surrounding the charges and address the concerns raised by Nigerians in the UK.
According to the Forum, the passport intervention by the Ministry of Interior and the NIS was designed to provide Nigerians abroad with a less stressful means of obtaining or renewing their passports, particularly ahead of increased travel during the Yuletide season.
It claimed that similar interventions had recorded success in the United States, Canada and other countries, but alleged that implementation in the United Kingdom had encountered difficulties.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Civic Forum therefore called for greater coordination among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian High Commission in the UK to ensure that the programme achieves its objectives.
The Forum urged the relevant authorities to resolve the dispute over the additional charges and ensure that Nigerians in the diaspora have access to transparent, affordable and efficient passport services.