COVID-19: Immigration extends temporary suspension of passports

- The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has extended the temporary suspension of processing of passports and migrant e-registration from April 23 to May 23, 2020

- The extension was implemented following the directive of the federal government regarding restrictions on international flights and closure of land borders

- The service stated that the public will be informed when passports are ready for collection at the expiration of the lockdown

The comptroller general of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has ordered an extension of the temporary suspension of processing of passports and migrant e-registration from April 23 to May 23, 2020.

Comptroller Babandede was reported to have ordered the extension following the directive of the federal government regarding restrictions on international flights and closure of land borders, The Nation reports.

The spokesperson of the NIS, Sunday James, said the service considered it necessary to extend the temporary suspension of processing of passports in support of the federal government's efforts to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

He said the public will be informed when passports are ready for collection at the expiration of the lockdown.

Meanwhile, a week after fully recovering from COVID-19, the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, resumed his duties at work.

President Muhammadu Buhari's aide on social media, Lauretta Onochie, on Tuesday, April 21, revealed the information in a tweet via her personal Twitter handle.

Onochie shared pictures of Babandende as he went back to discharge his duties at the Nigeria Immigration Service on Monday, April 20.

In another report, Enugu government said borders across the state have been closed down amid coronavirus pandemic in order to ensure total compliance with the lockdown directive given by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration.

Speaking on Wednesday, April 23, while distributing palliative to the people of Aninri local government, the state commissioner for transport, Mathias Ekweremadu, said the COVID-19 task force in the state has set the wheel on move to ensure compliance with the stay at home order.

The commissioner further noted that no movement in the state pending the time the lockdown will be relaxed, and only vehicle conveying food items and rendering essential services will be allowed, Vanguard reports.

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The transport commissioner also called for a collective fight against COVID-19 pandemic and enjoined the people of the state to maintain social distancing and exercise regular hygiene.

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