The House of Representatives has bemoaned the production of Nigerian passports abroad, stressing that it is abnormal in view of security features of the passports.
Speaking during a public hearing in Abuja on incessant malpractices associated with diplomatic postings and deliberate draining of resources, the Vice Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs Timehin Adelegbe said the security features contained in the Nigerian passport should be guarded.
According to him, printing of a Nigerian passport by a private firm outside the country was abnormal, adding that most Nigerians were not happy with the process and collection of passports.
He further stressed that it was high time the issue was taken seriously and addressed.
In his reaction, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, said it was his greatest desire to produce Nigerian passports within the country.
“Our wish is to produce even a booklet of Nigerian passport in our compound,” he said.
Addressing the issue of nepotism in NIS foreign posting, Babandede said officers often go the extra mile to lobby their way as they consider such posting the most lucrative.
He, however, said that since he assumed office, he had embraced transparency on foreign posting as 50 per cent was reserved for officers who attended training school and 10 per cent for officers who had received the award.
