FG orders 21 ex-govs, 42 ex-ministers to return passports

By Olumide Olaoluwa …
Worried that some former ministers with corruption cases have been travelling overseas with diplomatic immunity, the federal government has ordered 21 former governors, 42 ex-ministers and more than 260 former members of the House of Representatives to return their diplomatic and official passports.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) threatened to impound the diplomatic and official passports of past public officers defying the directive.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Mr. M. K. Ibeshi, gave the directive in a statement he personally signed.
Although the statement was silent on the actual number of those affected, findings confirmed that the list includes 21 former governors, 21 ex-deputy governors, 42 ex-ministers, 233 former members of the House of Representatives, about 76 Senators and more than 774 former local government chairmen, among others.
The statement reads: “Further to the directive on the withdrawal of diplomatic and official passports held by unauthorized persons the Nigeria Immigration Service hereby directs all affected persons to comply forthwith. These persons include, among others, former: (i) State Governors (ii) Senators (iii) Members of House of Representatives (iv) Members of State Houses of Assemblies (v) Ministers
(vi) Commissioners, (vii) Special Advisers/Special Assistants; (viii) Chairmen/Deputy Chairmen of Local Governments Areas; (ix) all retired Heads of parastatals and (x) Retired public servants

Read also: FG withdraws diplomatic passports from unauthorised persons

“These categories of persons are hereby informed that these passports which were previously held by them have been revoked and should return them to the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters Sauka Abuja with immediate effect.
“Failure to comply with this directive will amount to an offence under the Immigration Act 2015. Such unauthorized possession will be impounded at our control posts on arrival or departure.”
This is the second time in a month that the Federal Government will issue the directive.
The government had in August directed the former elective and political office holders to return their diplomatic and official passports.
The statement said the measure was intended at protecting and promoting Nigeria’s integrity in the comity of nations.

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