By Eze Okechukwu Godson, Abuja

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has begun a capacity building training for its Passport Control Officers (PCOs), announcing its commitment to prosecute foreigners arrested while attempting to obtain Nigerian passports.

The NIS Comptroller-General, Kemi Nandap, said this at the opening of the three-day workshop on Wednesday in Abuja.

Nandap said that the workshop, themed “Strengthening Identity Management through Innovations in Passport Administration”, was designed for PCOs from across the country.

She said that the service was taking steps to immediately prosecute some arrested individuals by extant laws, vowing that the era of impunity was over.

She said the participants will learn about ICT integration, customer satisfaction, and document vetting.

“This is an essential skill for their role as gatekeepers of national identity,” Nandap said.

The NIS boss issued a stern warning against malpractices and other forms of illegal acts and misconducts by personnel.

“I want you to know that this workshop is not a joke, because rising from this three-day workshop, any officer, any person who is caught, whether in your service, whether in your station or your post, will be dealt with.

“This is because you will be responsible for everyone under your command. I mean every one of your officers, you are there to supervise them.

“We will hold everyone accountable. You must know what is happening in your area, in your post,” Nandap said.

She urged the participants to be proactive and thorough in their duties, emphasising that the Nigerian passport is a symbol of trust and that anyone being issued the passport must be a Nigerian.

“Anyone who holds that passport, you are saying that you have certified that person as a bona fide, true Nigerian. That is what it means.

“So before you issue anybody that passport, make sure that, yes, you are satisfied that this person is a bona fide Nigerian.

“That is what our Act says and that is what you must all do because we are getting too many incessant issues of non-Nigerians acquiring our passports,” she said.

The NIS CG, however, commended the PCOs for their vigilance and swift reporting protocol across all passport offices in the country.

“Please increase your vigilance because I know a lot of your Commands, a lot of Passport Officers have reported these cases and of course, our Legal team is working on it.

“We will make sure that we prosecute them. They will not go free. Not anymore. It is not acceptable”, she said.

She also warned against extortion and other forms of corruption, promising severe sanctions for offenders and rewards for excellence.

Nandap urged officers to work quickly and meet deadlines, stressing that all proper security checks must be completed before issuing a passport.

According to her, the passport was a symbol of the nation and must be issued with absolute integrity.

Nandap emphasised the importance of immigration officers understanding how to assess an individual’s nationality.

She named factors such as speech patterns, appearance, and other criteria could be used to help determine if someone was not a Nigerian saying that it was essential for officers to be aware of those factors.

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By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The number of All Progressives Congress senators in the National Assembly rose to 70 yesterday, following the defection of four senators from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

The senators—Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Oluwole Olubiyi (Osun Central), Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East), and Ekong Samson (Akwa Ibom South)—formally announced their exit from the PDP during plenary.

Their resignation letters were read on the Senate floor by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who directed the Clerk of the Senate to officially record the defections.

With the latest switch, the composition of the 10th Senate now stands as follows: APC 70, PDP 28, Labour Party 5, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 1, Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) 1.

The defections were witnessed by top APC officials, including the National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Basiru, former Minister of Labour and Productivity Senator Chris Ngige, and some members of the House of Representatives who were present in solidarity.

Observers believe the development is a major political upset for the PDP, particularly in Akwa Ibom State, historically considered a party stronghold. Conversely, the APC is expected to consolidate further control in the region.

In his resignation letter, Senator Aniekan Bassey invoked Sections 40 and 68(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution and said his defection was “deeply considered” and “imperative.”

“This decision has become imperative in view of the prevailing political developments both in my constituency and within the party structure, which has been fractured beyond redemption,” he wrote.

Bassey acknowledged the PDP for the platform it had provided but emphasised that his move was in the “overall interest” of his constituents in Akwa Ibom North East.

Reacting to the defections, Senate President Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom and leading APC figure, dramatically welcomed Bassey.

“Senator Aniekan Abasi has now joined the APC. I welcome him with open arms. He has depleted the rank and file of the left-hand side to populate the right-hand side,” he said.

Senator Samson Ekong also defended his decision, linking it to political shifts in Akwa Ibom.

“Politics is a game of interest, and if I may add, circumstances,” he said. “In Akwa Ibom State, the earth has moved with the convergence of principal political players on the APC platform. My people have high hopes for commensurate reward systems from the APC power matrix,” he said.

Ekong further cited the defection of Akwa Ibom Governor Pastor Umoh Eno to the APC and the mass alignment of political stakeholders in the state with the ruling party as key motivators.

Welcoming the defectors, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said, “I sincerely welcome our colleagues to the All Progressives Congress. This cannot be the end, more are coming.”

By Eze Okechukwu Godson, Abuja

Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has described the threat and restriction of movement placed on the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi in Edo State by the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebolo as a direct challenge to Nigeria’s Unity and a brazen attack on the constitution.

The lawmaker who is the Chairman of the South East Senate Caucus also warned that the Governor of Edo State lacks the constitutional powers to abridge any citizens’ right and may have by so doing, unconscionably triggered a divisive trajectory that could hurt Nigeria’s democratic advancement.

Abaribe in a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom called for caution and warned that Nigeria is still a constitutional democracy where the rights of everyone, particularly citizens of Nigeria are guaranteed.

“It is therefore disheartening that leaders who are supposedly the custodians of the letters and spirit of the 1999 constitution as amended would decide to willfully be at the driving seat of its denigration in the name of politics.

“Nigeria is governed by rules and her leaders in all sub national governments subscribed to the adherence and respect to the rule of law as enshrined in the constitution. 

“So one wonders where the Edo State governor derives his powers to bar a Nigerian citizen from visiting his State unless such a person obtains permission from him otherwise the person’s security will not be guaranteed.

That is a dangerous threat to life that the authorities should not gloss over.

“It is very unfortunate that it seems our dear country is fast descending to lawlessness with this mindset and I pray that nothing happens to Mr Peter Obi.

“Governor Okpebolo who was a Senator and as such a lawmaker needs to be reminded that Nigeria belongs to all of us and that he is dead wrong to claim authority that he does not have.

The beauty of democracy is made manifest in the expression of freedom to hold divergent views and the freedom of movement of every Nigerian in any part of the Nigerian Federation, Edo State inclusive”, Abaribe said.