Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has commended the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) over the directive to set up Diaspora Desks at all the country’s international airports for expired travel passports.
She gave the commendation in response to the directive by the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Isah Jere Idris, to that effect which is aimed at ensuring a seamless passport process for all Nigerians coming back home.
Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement by the Commission’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the directive will go a long way to ease the stress for Nigerians in the Diaspora coming back home for the yuletide period.
Dabiri-Erewa said Diaspora Desks will soon be created at both Lagos and Abuja airports to serve the immediate needs of Nigerians in the Diaspora coming back into the country.
She restated the willingness of NiDCOM to collaborate with any government agencies working for the convenience of Nigerians living abroad.
Recalled that the Comptroller-General of Immigration Service (CGIS) Isah Jere Idris, had, on Monday, directed the immediate setting up of Diaspora Desks at all international airports.
This is in order to have a seamless passport process for all Nigerians coming home this yuletide period and may be desirous of processing their passports.
Sequel to this, the CGIS directed passport offices across the country to give priority attention to such citizens living outside the country and their families.
This was bearing in mind that most of such citizens have a specific time of returning to their countries of residence.
Earlier on 9 December, 2022, the CGIS, in a memo, also informed all relevant authorities that Federal Government has approved that Nigerians returning home can be admitted into the country with their expired Nigerian passports.
Consequently, he implored all airlines to allow holders of expired Nigerian passports into the country with their expired passports.
“The CGIS affirmed the commitment of the Service to continue rendering effective and efficient service delivery to all Nigerians both at home and abroad, as well as non-Nigerians who are desirous of using any of the service windows.
“This fast-tracked passport process for this yuletide season commenced a few weeks ago with the opening of passport offices on Saturday,” it was state in the memo.
The NIS also stated that the process of facilitating the ease of home coming for Nigerians in the Diaspora with expired traveling passports would continue until 31 January, 2023.
