By PHILIP NYAM

The House of Representatives Thursday mandated its Committee on Interior to investigate the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) over allegations of passport racketeering perpetrated by its officials.

This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Chinedu Ogah on the need to investigate the alleged extortion, passport racketeering and corrupt practices by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

In adopting the motion, the House also expressed worries that if the practice is not checked, it might undermine national security and expose the country to international ridicule as foreigners may take advantage of it to acquire Nigerian passports.

It also directed the relevant agencies of government to ensure that all payments to the Nigeria Immigration Service are done through the appropriate TSA channel and anyone violating the terms of the policy is made to face the full wrath of the law.

Leading debate on the motion, Ogah disclosed that the Nigeria Immigration Service is the agency responsible for the production and issuance of the Nigerian international passport.

He also said that that the current price for the new standard passport with 32 pages is N25, 000 while the 64-booklet passport costs N35, 000 and both have a five-year validity period.

He, however, expressed concern that there have been several reports of alleged extortion of Nigerians seeking to acquire the international passports by personnel of the some Nigeria Immigration Service.

According to him, unsuspecting members of the public are made to pay as high as N50, 000 to immigration officers with a promise to fast track processing of their international passport.

(New Telegraph)