Nigeria immigration denies shortage of passport booklets

According to a recent report, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has denied claims of a shortage of passport booklets in the country. The denial comes amidst reports of long queues and delays in the issuance of passports to Nigerians.

In a statement, the NIS said that it has sufficient stock of passport booklets and that the delay in the issuance of passports is due to other factors such as the high volume of applications and the need for thorough verification of applicants' documents.

The NIS also attributed the delay to the ongoing upgrade of its database and the implementation of new biometric technology, which requires the collection of additional biometric data from applicants.

The statement read in part: "The Nigerian Immigration Service wishes to assure the public that there is no shortage of passport booklets in the country. The delay in the issuance of passports is not due to a shortage of booklets, but rather due to the high volume of applications and the need for thorough verification of applicants' documents."

The NIS also urged applicants to be patient and to avoid spreading misinformation that could cause panic and confusion.

It is worth noting that the NIS has been facing criticism in recent times over the delay in the issuance of passports, with many Nigerians expressing frustration over the long queues and delays. The denial of a shortage of passport booklets by the NIS is likely to be seen as an attempt to address these concerns and reassure the public that the service is working to resolve the issue.