On Monday the 11th April 2016, I walked into the Nigerian immigration service office in Abeokuta with my personal assistant around 11 am. I met a man who directed me to the entrance to meet one Mr Ogunnaike nicknamed "Authentic". He was to be approached for the passport renewal. Mr Ogunnaike, therefore, told me that a day service for receipt was N28,000 for a 32-page passport and it would be ready by 4 pm the same day. I obliged but asked that I saw a banner downstairs stating a lower price. It was explained that that was not for same day express service. Another young man in mufti appeared and asked us to follow him to a small room close by to the main reception where people sat on wooden benches. I obliged and gave him the payment of N28, 000 and asked for the receipt. He asked me to wait and will be back for the receipt. On coming back, no receipt was issued but he told me to wait but first to follow him downstairs to get my passport photos taken as I did not have any.

 After collecting the passport photos, the young man said to move upstairs and that I should speak to Mr Ogunnaike for the receipt. I did and he told me that it would be given later on but I just needed to sit down at another end of the same floor for an interview. He mentioned that his role was over but the receipt and other documents will be handed over to me at the interview spot.

We waited for some more hours and around 3 pm, I was called into a room  for a brief interview, I asked again for the receipt but was told that there was none but that the blue slip handed over to me will serve as a proof of payment and that I should ask for any other thing at the next room where a picture capture will take place. My assistant and I waited until around 4.05pm and I went over to ask about taking the capture since we were told that 4 pm is the closing time and that I had not been attended to at all. I was told to wait still. 

After 10 minutes, I walked into the capture office where fingerprints and photo capture would take place and spoke to the man who appeared to be the most senior based on the epaulettes on his uniform. His name, from his name badge, was "Umoh." I spoke to Mr Umoh about my plight explaining that I do not reside in the area but needed to travel out of Abeokuta early the next morning and will appreciate being attended to. Based on my plight and explanation that I had been there for over five (5) hours, and was told that I would be finished by 4 pm, he asked me to sit on one of the six seats in the 'capture room.' I sat on seat no 6 and people were directed up for capture from positions 1-6 in chronological order.

 After about 15 minutes of sitting, I moved to no 1 seat and the next five seats were filled but those were taken up for capture while I sat on waiting. One of the officials walked in around 30 minutes after and said, "Oh, you are still here" to which I responded, " Yes sir, others who have come in after me have been attended to but not me" . On hearing this, Mr Umoh became furious and screamed " get out of here now. I was going to help you but you are complaining". I tried apologising that I had waited for at least 45 minutes in that tiny room but didn't mean to upset him. He kept screaming that I leave the room which I did.

I stood then along the corridor where some other people like myself stood when a man in white linen-like shirt came close and started screaming " didn't you hear that you should leave this place? Get out of here now". The man appeared chocolate in skin colour with a very low cut but with a semblance of grey hair. He was of slim appearance and about 5 ft 10inches in height (Later got to know his name as Mr Olatunji). I said, "please don't shout at me, sir. I have obeyed the officer to leave the room and you shouldn't shout at me since you are not an officer yourself". At this juncture, another man, a lot younger,  about 35 years of age in appearance, lanky, dark man of a height of around 6ft 2-4inches with a bit of hair although low cut came around and joined in to tell me to shut up. That I am a woman and have no right to talk back to a man. I then said,  "I am not a criminal and will leave" but the older one in white top screamed that I should shut up and obey before complaining.


Read More

Brutalized, Humiliated And Dehumanized: A Day At The Passport Office In Abeokuta | Sahara Reporters
http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/23/brutalized-humiliated-and-dehumanized-day-passport-office-abeokuta

Those corrupt immigration officers are now getting the attention they needed. I have heard countless of complaint concerning corruption and bribery going on across immigration offices across the country. They make it difficult for you to successfully use the proper channel to apply for passport, they delay and make you pay bribe.

The Abeokuta immigration office is worse and I hope concerned authorities are listening, officers at that branch should be dealt with and use as example to warn others.

Report this to the ministry of interior.

immigration officers and passport wahala.......sorry madam