Nigerians living in the United Kingdom have expressed frustration over delays and poor organisation during the Special Passport Intervention being conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
The intervention, announced in August, is aimed at helping Nigerians obtain new passports, renew existing ones and clear a backlog of applications.
The first phase of the exercise is taking place in London and Manchester from September 7 to 19.
However, videos and images shared online showed large crowds at the Manchester centre, with applicants complaining of waiting for hours despite having completed their applications and scheduled appointments.
Some applicants also alleged that they were asked to pay an additional £70 fee before being attended to, despite having paid the official passport application charges.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, however, dismissed reports of additional charges, saying applicants only need to pay the official fees of $150 for five-year passports and $230 for 10-year passports, excluding bank charges.
He said the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were working to address the challenges and ensure the exercise runs smoothly.
The NIS has yet to publicly respond to the complaints raised by applicants.
