Exploring Tunji-Ojo’s Claim: Foreigners Committing Crimes with Nigerian Passports
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has expressed concerns about the misuse of Nigerian passports by non-Nigerians, leading to the wrongful attribution of crimes to Nigerian citizens abroad.
He emphasized that many foreigners possess Nigerian passports, causing global embarrassment and misidentification of perpetrators.
To address this issue, the Nigerian government is implementing measures to enhance the integrity of its passport issuance process.
These include requiring applicants to upload their certificate of origin, which is then authenticated by local government officials to verify their Nigerian citizenship.
This initiative aims to ensure that only legitimate Nigerian citizens receive passports, thereby reducing the incidence of non-Nigerians obtaining Nigerian travel documents.
Minister Tunji-Ojo also highlighted the importance of pre-data documentation in the passport application process. He noted that the prevalence of foreigners holding Nigerian passports has made such documentation necessary, as the integrity of the country’s passport cannot be fully relied upon without it.
These efforts are part of a broader strategy to enhance national security and protect Nigeria’s international reputation by ensuring that Nigerian passports are issued only to genuine citizens.