THE Nigeria Immigration Service has said a senior protocol officer in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing will be prosecuted for his involvement in the forgery of documents meant for the procurement of the Nigerian passport.

The NIS said the official (name withheld) conspired by forging official identity card and signature of the Minister of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing on a letter issued to procure “official passport”.

The suspect was said to have collected N250,000 as proceed knowing full well that the subject was not a government official.

The Immigration said the official had appeared before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja where he was charged with conspiracy, making false statement for the purpose of procuring Nigerian passport and engaging in forgery.

In a statement signed by the public relations officer on Sunday, the NIS said its Comptroller General, Muhammad Babandede, had vowed not to spare individual or groups involved in passport-related offences.

Babandede was quoted to have told prospective applicants seeking Nigerian passport to avoid false declarations, forgery and use of fake documents, but follow due process by applying and paying online.

He said they should desist from patronising touts, noting that both the procurer and the applicant would be prosecuted in accordance with the provision of the law relating to ‘passport offences’. – Punch

– July 8, 2019 @ 9:12 GMT |