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Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller-General, NIS, disclosed that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) issued 20,000 10-year enhanced e-passports in the month of June in Abuja on Friday at the official decoration of four senior officers promoted to the rank of Deputy Comptroller- General (DCG), of immigration.
He said the figure covers only Lagos and Abuja.
Babandede, who stated the new travel document has additional security features in line with the prescriptions of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), added that booklet is weather friendly and contains polycarbonate data page that mitigates incidences of damage.
According to him, having migrated from the Machine Readable Passport to the e-Passport in 2007, the service found it expedient to review the document and its administrative processes to further conform to global best practices.
The existing e-passport will run concurrently with the enhanced e-Passport untill the former expires. Meanwhile, plans has been concluded to roll out the new document in Kano and London between July 8 and 29 respectively.
He threatened to sanction hoteliers who fail to report foreigners lodging in their hotels for over 90 days, disclosing it may soon commence the registration of Migrants Identity Number as way to curb nefarious crimes and check illegal migration.
The newly promoted DCGs are: Ogbu, Julius Adadu, Uebari Saro John, Idris Lash Jere and Dibi, Adaeze C.
On the promoted DCGs, the NIS boss said: “The journey to this day of the elevation to the Rank of DCG of these fine officers started sometimes last year after the conduct of competency assessment and due diligence carried out on each and every one of these officers., President Muhammadu Buhari by the powers conferred in him found them worthy and in his magnanimity approved their appointment to the consolidated grade of DCG.”
