The Federal Government has asked Nigerians to stop patronising corrupt passport officers while applying for passports.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this charge during an interview in Abuja.
According to him, this was necessary to stop corruption in the system.
“An illegitimate business company had been created around passport. It requires commitment, dedication and participation of Nigerians in eliminating and getting rid of such illegitimate business,” he said.
The minister said that as long as Nigerians want a shortcut to passport processing, challenges would continue to occur in the issuance process.
He, therefore, said passport applicants must follow due process and help to eliminate corruption and infuse integrity into passport administration.
“Please, shun any appeal to get the passport through a third party, tout, or scammers, by, first of all, starting the process early.
“If I want to recommend, I will say begin, unless there is an emergency, begin the processing six months to either the expiration or renewal or getting a new one.
” If you start six months ahead, there will be no issue at all. And why is six months recommended by me? Because that is the minimum period that you can even process any visa,” he said.
Aregbesola said that within six months, no matter how reckless the human factor involved may be, there would be no anxiety.
The minister called on the media and the public to help in curbing the menace and encourage passport applicants to do the right thing at all times.
