The Oyo State command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced its resumption of receiving applications for new passports in the state.
The new Comptroller of the command, Safiya Mohammed, announced this on Tuesday, in Ibadan, at a send forth for Usman Babangida, the outgoing Comptroller.
NIS had suspended fresh passport applications to enable the clearance of a backlog of applications received before May 17.
According to Mohammed, the command had begun receiving new applications, in line with a directive by the Comptroller-General (CG) of the NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede.
“The agency had suspended new applications for passports to clear the backlog of passport applications that were received.
“One of the priorities of the CG is the processing and prompt delivery of passports to applicants.
“He actually told me to see that the backlog is cleared; the command over the weekend worked overnight and we were able to produce over 3,000 passports out of the backlog.
“This is to give room for new applicants to be attended to; new applications started 12 midnight today (Tuesday),’’ she said.
Mohammed thanked the outgoing comptroller for the precedents he had set in the command, describing him as a dedicated and hardworking man.
Earlier, the former comptroller, lauded Gov. Seyi Makinde, as well as sister security chiefs in the state, for their support during his nine-month service in the state.
He also appreciated the officers and men of the command for their maximum support, saying that although his term in the state was short, it was “quite memorable’’.
