The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to allow Nigerians in diaspora to return to Nigeria with their expired international passports.
Aregbesola gave the directive in Lagos on Wednesday while responding to a complaint by a Nigerian-American citizen, Mr Jamui Kasumu, at the Alausa Passport Office during his unscheduled visit to the facility.
Kasumu complained to the minister that the Nigeria Immigration in America and Delta airline prevented him from coming to Nigeria because of an expired Nigerian passport.
He said he was able to return to Nigeria after he got travel certificate he obtained through a relation in Nigeria.
Responding, Aregbesola said Nigerians in diaspora were free to come back home with expired or non-expired Nigerian passports.
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The minister stated that no Nigerian needed travel certificate to come back home, except children, whose parents were Nigerians, but their identities were yet to be established according to immigration rule.
“I am using this medium to instruct all Nigeria Immigration Officers World-Wide to accord Nigerian travellers with expired Passport use such passports to return safely back home henceforth,” Aregbesola said.
The minister further enjoined Nigerians in diaspora to update their travel document ahead of time to avoid rush during emergency.
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