According to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), approximately 97,000 passport booklets that were issued remain uncollected in all 36 states across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr. Tony Akuneme, the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO) and Comptroller of Immigration, revealed this information.

Akuneme further mentioned that the NIS recently discovered that Lagos State alone accounted for half of the uncollected passports. He also expressed concern that a significant number of the passport owners could not be contacted due to insufficient documentation caused by involvement of a third party.

Additionally, he indicated that the purpose of declaring a state of emergency was to attract media attention in order to raise awareness and streamline the passport collection process.

Many individuals are unaware of the status of their passports and whether they are ready for collection. He explained that some people enlist the services of agents to assist with their passport processing, and these agents may handle applications for numerous individuals.

"He stated that as a result, incorrect contact details are often provided, making it challenging to reach out to passport owners when their documents are ready for collection. This poses a significant challenge," he explained. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mrs. Caroline Adepoju, the Acting Comptroller General of the NIS, recently declared a state of emergency regarding passport matters nationwide. The SPRO further mentioned that the service discovered that many applicants' complaints revolved around both human and technical factors, including the slow speed of the internet.

"We approached the Governor of Lagos State to assist us by providing office space where we could establish front desk offices, and we received an extremely positive response from the governor," he stated. Considering that Lagos is a popular tourist destination, the immigration service plays a crucial role in the minds of individuals visiting the state.

"It was an encouraging development, and we can already see the positive outcomes of the state of emergency declaration, as the governor approved the CG's request for land allocation to construct staff quarters in Lagos," he remarked. However, Akuneme emphasized that the service requires the assistance of the media to inform Nigerians that there is no shortage of passport booklets. He clarified, "There are passport booklets that have been issued but remain uncollected."

"It is ironic that we do not face a problem of passport booklets shortage. In the past one or two years, we have witnessed a significant increase in the number of Nigerians desiring to travel. We believe that this surge is partly due to the impact of COVID-19," he explained.