BREAKING: Tunji-Ojo disqualifies South East states from printing International Passports

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Reports of a potential shutdown of the region’s sole passport production center at the Nigeria Immigration Service zonal headquarters in Enugu are causing rising tensions across Nigeria’s South East. This development could interfere with urgent travel plans for thousands of applicants.

According to sources within the Nigeria Immigration Service, who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorization for public statements, passport production at the Enugu facility has reportedly ceased following a directive believed to have come from the Federal Ministry of Interior.

The centre currently caters to Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states, offering essential services, particularly for emergency passport processing.

The source indicates that a group of technical staff, thought to have come from Abuja, started taking apart essential passport production equipment earlier in the day.

If the equipment were removed, it would effectively terminate local passport issuance in the South East, compelling applicants to seek urgent services outside the region.

The development has sparked anxiety among residents and travellers who depend on the Enugu centre for expedited documentation.

Numerous applicants who require immediate travel are concerned that relocating emergency processing to Abuja could result in missing crucial deadlines. This change would raise transportation costs, prolong timelines, and put additional strain on a system that is already under pressure.

Onlookers state that the situation brings up larger issues regarding access to federal services and the regional balance of public infrastructure.

It has been reported that certain stakeholders and community leaders have started to urge political representatives from the South East to promptly interact with federal authorities and elucidate the actual status of the facility.

At the time this report was filed, there were no official statements from the Nigeria Immigration Service or the Ministry of Interior confirming or denying the alleged shutdown.

Lacking formal communication, speculation has intensified, and applicants are left unsure of what to do next.

Currently, numerous residents are still anxious and hoping for prompt clarification from authorities before any ultimate decision is made that could transform passport processing throughout the region.

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