Re-passport Issuance Brouhaha: My virtual encounters with Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and DCI Bashir Aminu

A Legendary World Icon and freedom fighter of blessed memory, Nelson Mandela, in response to a question on why he retracted a statement against an associate whom he had accused of colluding with external forces to incarcerate him for 27 years, opined that “only a fool refuses to change his position when confronted with new information”.

Greatest Nigerian people, in the last few days, I have had a personal virtual encounter with the Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, fondly called BTO, and the head of immigration desk at the Nigerian High Commission in London, United Kingdom, Alhaji Bashir Aminu in respect of the article I authored recently about the corruption and inefficiency in the Nigerian passport issuance system. The article, which was published by major media platforms in Nigeria, garnered widespread attention , making me realize how big an issue getting a Nigerian passport, especially in the United Kingdom, had been. The research-driven article reached prominent figures, including the BTO himself. My contacts in the presidency told me that the article was thoroughly analysed, and President Bola Tinubu got the report.

Now the main issue. Last weekend, one of my associates called me that the Minister of Interior wanted to speak with me on the issues i raised, and I agreed. After all, he is our Minister, serving us Nigerians. During our about 20-minute conversation, BTO apologized profusely and took responsibility for the inefficiencies that I and many Nigerians have experienced in order to get a Nigerian passport in the United Kingdom. He began by acknowledging improvements in the passport registration system at home in Nigeria, though he admitted that the issues in London were more like a generational wrath, in existence far before his emergence as Minister. He condemned the additional £150 postal order charge that Nigerians who applied to replace their passports in the UK were being forced to pay, explaining that the only legal fee recognized by law is the passport application fee of $162. He said the postal order of £20 is charged by the High Commission and not the Nigerian Immigration Service. He expressed shock on why some applicants are being charged £150 for postal order – a service meant to deliver passports to the home of applicants within the UK – despite applicants being instructed to come for biometric capturing with a royal mail delivery envelope which costs about £10 per applicant.

BTO sincerely apologized for the outrageous amount that I spent, which amounted to almost £180 beyond the application fee of $162 I had paid to the Nigerian Immigration Service. In his words, “the practice is despicable, illegal, and fraudulent,” and assured me that such charges would no longer be tolerated.

I explained to him how the charges had handicapped me in taking my children to the Nigerian High Commission for their passport replacement and he urged me to return to the High Commission to renew their passports, guaranteeing that no further illegal payments would be demanded.

WAYS FORWARD:

BTO explained that addressing the passport issuance challenges, particularly in countries like the UK, USA, and Canada, is a long-term battle. He posited that in these countries, passport issuance processes need to be decentralized and digitalised. He cited the example of Canada, where some Nigerians would fly for almost 16 hours combined just to do biometric capturing.

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The Minister spoke about his plans, which are underway to open additional passport capturing centers in the UK cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Cardiff so as to make the process more accessible and flexible.

The Minister also informed me of the upcoming shift from the current physical and traditional passport renewal system toward contactless as being done by the UK Visa (UKVI). He confirmed that within the next few months, Nigerians worldwide will no longer need to visit immigration offices to renew their passport as they will be able to complete the process online through their phones. This innovation, already in place at the UK Home Office as I said earlier, will allow applicants to scan the QR code on their expired passport to reactivate their previous biometric, upload their photo, submit and have their passports delivered to their respective homes without the need for physical visits to immigration offices. According to BTO, this development will not only streamline the process but also reduce or eliminate corruption in the passport issuance section.

Following my conversation with the minister, I also received a call from Alhaji Bashir Aminu, the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration in charge of the immigration desk at the Nigerian High Commission in London. He buttressed BTO’s concerns about corruption, stating that the illegal charges I paid were unfortunate and despicable. He said contrary to some negative beliefs, booking appointment for biometric capturing is done centrally worldwide from Abuja and his own duty, like his colleagues in other High Commissions, is basically to capture applicants who booked appointment online and issue passports to them. Aminu assured me that the issues I encountered had been addressed and invited me to return for my kids’ passport replacement. I agreed, though I was sceptical at first, but decided to give them a benefit of doubt and visited the Nigerian High Commission on Monday, September 30th.

When I arrived at the Nigeria High Commission in London with my kids, we were promptly attended to. We presented our papers, and their details were updated, pictures were captured, and within 30 minutes, the passports were handed over to me. I did not pay any additional fees for postal orders or delivery.

OTHER TESTIMONIALS

My experience was surprising and thrilling, I was amazed at the coordination and newfound speed at which the high commission now operates devoid of exploitation. I wanted to be sure of the new development and find out if there was anything shady going on underground.

Using my investigative skills, I interrogated several individuals at the High Commission to get their views on the new development. They confirmed that the illegal fees I had experienced were no longer being demanded as I only have to pay £20 for postal order and not £150. Elizabeth Adebayo, one of the people I interviewed who came from Luton, mentioned that before, people used to queue from 4 a.m. for passport biometric capturing and wait for two or three months for their passports to be available. Now, she said, once you do biometric capturing, you will get your passport in your house within or less than 48 hours.

A Nigerian, Juliet Uche, a resident of Nottingham who was at the Nigerian High Commission with her cousin, told me that when she visited London to capture, she didn’t go home straight as she had to check after a family in North London and before arriving at her home the next day, her passport was already waiting for her.

Thus, it is evident that BTO and Bashir Aminu have acted swiftly and decisively to address the issues I raised in my previous article. The changes implemented, particularly at the High Commission in London, are a clear sign of the leadership’s commitment to improving the system.

IN CONCLUSION:

This experience has, in a bit, changed my perception of Nigeria and our political leaders as a whole. For instance, BTO, without sounding patronising, is not only engaging and responsive but also willing to take responsibility and effect real change. The system isn’t perfect, and there is still much to be done, but the new improvements I witnessed firsthand show that progress is possible when leaders are willing to listen and act. It is important that we continue to encourage and support leaders like BTO and Bashir Aminu, who are working to eliminate corruption and improve the lives of Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora.

In just five days, I have witnessed a transformation in Nigeria’s passport issuance system in the UK. The illegal charges have been eliminated, hope never to return, and the efficiency of the process has greatly improved. This change is proof of the power of accountability, data-driven decision-making, and leadership that listens to the grievances of its people.

I congratulate BTO and Bashir Aminu for their efforts, and I urge President Tinubu to protect and support these leaders so that they are not caged by corrupt elements as they continue to work toward a better Nigeria. If Bashir Aminu’s style could be adopted as the new direction of Nigeria’s public service, then perhaps there is hope for us all.

Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye, a Strategic Communications Expert and Real Estate Broker based in the United Kingdom, wrote in via [email protected].