Nigerian nationals living in the United Kingdom on Wednesday morning stormed the country’s high commission in London to protest the long delay in issuing their international passports.
In multiple videos sighted on X by Chronicle NG, the angry protesters were heard lamenting how the Nigerian agencies neglected them for more than six months after they applied for the passport.
“Two weeks turn to six months. Enough is enough. No more delay,” one of the protesters said in the video.
The protesters were also seen with several placards calling for the immediate cancellation of extra fees imposed on passport applicants by the embassy.
“Nigerian passport is our right. Say no to $318 extra fee. Minister you promised us 2 weeks, it is 6 months now,” some of the displayed placards read.
In December 2023, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, assured that passports would be issued within two weeks to applicants.
He also promised to eliminate long queues by enabling online registration, with in-person visits required only for biometric capture and passport collection. The minister mentioned that efforts were underway to procure the necessary equipment to facilitate this new process.
During a press briefing, Tunji-Ojo highlighted the ministry’s success in clearing a backlog of 204,332 passports across the country within three weeks, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other stakeholders.
However, recent protests at the Nigerian High Commission in London suggest that these promises remain unfulfilled. Nigerian nationals residing in the UK gathered to express their frustration over delays, reporting waits of more than six months for passport issuance.
The protesters, seen in videos shared on social media, called for the immediate cancellation of extra fees and demanded swift action to resolve the delays.
