Lagos Muslim Pilgrims Board assured of seamless e-passport issuance

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has been assured of a seamless processing and issuance of enhanced passport for the state’s intending pilgrims to this year’s Hajj and Umrah (lesser hajj) exercises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The assurance was given by the Passport Control Officer, Nigeria Immigration Service, Alausa Passport Office, Assistant Comptroller, Mrs. Gladys Chukwuedo, when the board’s management paid a courtesy visit to her office in Alausa, Ikeja.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrs. Lolade Aina, who led the Board Secretary, Mr. Saheed Onipede and others on the visit, told the Passport Control Officer that the team was in her office to seek assistance on a speedy processing and issuance of the E-passports for the intending pilgrims so as to guarantee their performance at the holy pilgrimage in Makkah and Madinah.

According to the Permanent Secretary, many of the intending pilgrims have made payment for the spiritual exercise coming up between April and June this year, but are yet to get their international passport issued, stressing that without the passport, the intending pilgrims would not be able to actualise their dream.

Aina pleaded with Chukwuedo to assist the board towards ensuring that all the affected persons are given privileged consideration to meet the deadline for visa procurement set by Saudi Arabian Embassy.

In her response, Mrs. Chukwuedo appreciated the Permanent Secretary and her team for the visit, saying that her office is ready to support the Board in its quest to ensure that the operation is made easy for the intending pilgrims.

She used the avenue to educate her guests about the procedures involved in obtaining the enhanced passport, which she said, was highly technical unlike the old passports.

She explained that every applicant for the E-passport must ensure that the name he or she filled in the immigration online portal must be the same as the fellows information in the NIN registration, adding that once there is any discrepancy, such application would be rejected.

The Permanent Secretary was accompanied by the Deputy Director, Admin and HR, Mrs. Ganiyat Ojomu; Deputy Director, Operation, Mr. Kamal Zubair and Deputy Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Wasiu Kaka. Others are Asst. Director, Admin. & HR, Mr. Adekola Akanni; Asst. Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Taofeek Lawal; Head of Procurement unit, Mrs. Khadijat Oluwa, amongst others.