Sequel to an initial instruction given to former public office holders in Nigeria to return all the diplomatic passports given to them while in office, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has further threatened to publish the names of the those who fail to return the document.
Nigerian Diplomatic Passports
The categories of persons who are said to be illegally in possession of the official and diplomatic passports are governors, ministers, senators, members of the House of Representatives, and members of state Houses of Assembly that are no longer in office as government officials.
According to Vanguard report, the Comptroller General of the NIS, Martin Abeshi issued the threat while unfolding his programme for the agency in Abuja on Wednesday, September 30.
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier in September directed the immigration service to retrieve the documents from all illegal holders, mostly former top public office holders.
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The presidency said that the decision was intended to protect and promote Nigeria’s integrity in the comity of nations in addition to ensuring law and order.
Abeshi however said most of them were yet to comply with the instruction.
He said: “I am advising that those who have not returned these facilities [diplomatic and official passports] should bring them because very soon, I will publish the names of those who collected official and diplomatic passports.
“I am not going to do it now; I want to respect them because they were once statesmen in this country, but I am advising that they should bring those passports in their possession to the Immigration office now.”
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The NIS boss disclosed that over 200 200 passports have been retrieved since this directive was given.
He further instructed that for those who are yet to return theirs could submit to the state command comptrollers across the country.
There are also former public officials that were issued diplomatic passports which include commissioners, special advisers/special assistants, chairmen/deputy chairmen of local government areas, all retired heads of parastatals and some retired public servants.
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In line with the fight to get back the diplomatic passports, a former minister for mines, power and mineral resources, Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Ishola, threw his support behind President Buhari’s directive stressing that all former government functionaries should return their diplomatic passports.
The post NIS Boss Threatens Ex-officials If They Don’t Return Diplomatic Passports appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
NIS Boss Threatens Ex-officials If They Don’t Return Diplomatic Passports
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