Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria's Interior Minister, reveals that many crimes linked to Nigerians abroad are committed by foreigners using Nigerian passports. He advocates for stricter passport verification measures, including certificate of origin uploads and Document Verification Officers, to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s passport system and national security.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, has raised concerns about foreigners illegally possessing Nigerian passports, which has led to the wrongful attribution of crimes to Nigerian citizens abroad. In an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on December 18, 2024, Tunji-Ojo explained that the misuse of Nigerian passports by non-Nigerians has caused significant embarrassment for the country. He emphasized the need for stricter measures to verify the nationality of passport applicants, such as requiring a certificate of origin and the use of local Document Verification Officers (DVOs) to authenticate documents.
According to Tunji-Ojo, many of the crimes committed abroad that are attributed to Nigerians are often carried out by individuals who are not Nigerian citizens but are using Nigerian passports. He expressed his frustration with the system, which currently allows fraudulent issuance of passports, and stressed that these changes are necessary to safeguard the integrity of the country’s passport system.
The minister also highlighted that while simplifying passport issuance for citizens is important, it must not come at the cost of national security. He proposed that once citizens upload their pre-data documents, renewals would be easier, eliminating the need for repeated verifications.
