HURIWA: Passport scandal exposes dangerous gaps in Nigeria’s immigration system

PREE STATEMENT

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)

HURIWA: Passport scandal exposes dangerous gaps in Nigeria’s immigration system*

Foremost pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) demands an urgent and comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s passport issuance system, following allegations surrounding the issuance of a second passport to Abuja-based realtor, Rebecca Godwin-Isaac, while an earlier passport was reportedly in the custody of the Federal High Court.

HURIWA says the controversy raises serious questions about the integrity, security and accountability of the Nigerian passport system.

The group says the Federal Government must immediately reform, standardise and enforce fool-proof procedures that make it impossible for anyone to obtain multiple passports through questionable processes.

HURIWA notes that the lawyers handling the matter allege that Godwin-Isaac reported an earlier passport, B00485650, missing or stolen and subsequently obtained another passport, B51450551.
The lawyers also allege that the second passport was processed through a “non-appearance/no-show” procedure and have questioned how the Nigeria Immigration Service allegedly issued another passport while the earlier document remained in court custody.

HURIWA says these allegations must be independently investigated because a passport is not an ordinary identity document. It is a sovereign document issued in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The association is particularly concerned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s own warning that foreigners may be using Nigerian passports to commit crimes abroad.

The minister recently acknowledged that the use of Nigerian passports by non-Nigerians is causing international embarrassment and disclosed plans to strengthen verification of citizenship before passports are issued.

HURIWA says the minister’s admission makes the latest passport controversy even more troubling.

If the Federal Government is already aware that non-Nigerians can allegedly obtain Nigerian passports through fraudulent means, HURIWA asks why the Nigeria Immigration Service has not completely blocked the loopholes that make such abuse possible.

The prominent civil society organisation demands to know whether the NIS has a central system capable of immediately identifying every valid passport issued to an applicant. HURIWA wonders why even with multiple chain of national identification system in Nigeria uploaded and managed by the National Identity management Commission (NIMC), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) allows non-Nigerians to obtain Nigerian international passports which constitutes a grave threat to our national security interest.

HURIWA also asks whether the immigration authorities have an effective mechanism for flagging passports surrendered to courts, cancelled, reported stolen or declared missing.

The Rights organisation says the alleged issuance of a fresh passport while another document remains under court custody should not be treated as an isolated administrative error.

It could expose a deeper weakness in the country’s identity-management and immigration-control system.

HURIWA therefore calls for a full audit of the circumstances surrounding the disputed passport and several pther cases, including the identity verification, biometric records, application trail, approving officers and the circumstances under which the document was allegedly issued.

The association further demands that any immigration officer found to have violated established procedures should face appropriate disciplinary and criminal action where evidence of wrongdoing is established.

HURIWA says the investigation must not end with the identification of an individual applicant. The authorities must also establish whether officials facilitated or enabled any irregular issuance.

The Rights group recalls that the lawyers representing the complainant family have given the Comptroller-General of the NIS 30 days to respond to their complaint and have threatened legal action if the agency fails to act.

HURIWA urges the NIS to respond transparently and promptly rather than allow the controversy to become another unresolved institutional complaint.

The group also calls on the Interior Minister to publish the outcome of the investigation and disclose the measures being taken to prevent similar incidents.
HURIWA says Nigeria cannot continue to demand that foreign countries protect the integrity of Nigerian citizens abroad while allowing loopholes that allegedly enable non-Nigerians to acquire Nigerian travel documents.

The association further says the credibility of the Nigerian passport is directly linked to national security, international reputation and the safety of genuine Nigerian travellers.

HURIWA is therefore asking the Federal Government to urgently introduce a centralised passport-verification system linked to reliable citizenship records, court orders, biometric databases and records of cancelled, lost or surrendered passports.

The association also demands strict monitoring of the so-called replacement passport process to ensure that reports of lost or stolen passports are not abused as a gateway for obtaining fresh documents through fraudulent means.

HURIWA says the alleged passport scandal should serve as a wake-up call for the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The group stresses that accountability must begin from the top because the Interior Ministry exercises supervisory responsibility over the immigration service.

HURIWA says it is unacceptable for the government to acknowledge that foreigners may be using Nigerian passports to commit crimes abroad while failing to decisively eliminate the institutional weaknesses that allegedly make such abuse possible.

The association therefore calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demand a comprehensive report from the Interior Ministry and the NIS on the state of passport integrity in Nigeria.

HURIWA also demands that the Federal Government establish clear timelines for implementing the minister’s proposed citizenship-document verification system across the 774 local government areas.
The association warns that failure to act decisively will continue to expose Nigeria to international embarrassment and undermine confidence in the country’s most important travel and identity document.

Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
September 13, 2026.