Despite the concerted efforts by the Federal Government to ensure a seamless process in the issuance of visas to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, some corrupt officials at the Nigeria High Commission, in London United Kingdom are doing
P p their best to frustrate the process.

QUEST TIMES correspondent who visited the Commission on Monday was told by some frustrated Nigerians who are passports applicants how racketeers, fronting for officials of the commission demanded sums ranging from £200 - £300 to facilitate the issuance of their passports.

A middle-aged woman who asked not to be named said unlike other countries, the passport processing experiences of Nigerians in the UK has been an unpleasant one due to fraud and corrupt practices being perpetrated by officials.

She said " The situation is terrible, to say the least. The Federal government should send a special undercover team to come and observe what is going on here. The officials here operate as if they are in Nigeria".

" I came here for the collection of my daughter's passport. I have concluded all the processes and the only thing left is for them to print it out. For two weeks, I got no response from them, so I traveled from my home to the commission. An official here approached me and asked me to pay £200 pounds to fasttrack it but I declined".

" Another woman on the queue, who also appeared tired with the processes, approached me and said we should contribute £100 pounds each and beg them to accept but I still declined. After waiting for long, I saw a very senior official and I explained my predicament that I needed the passport urgently to travel out of UK for medical issues. He asked for my daughter's name and the passport was issued that day".

" So, I can't fathom the reason for the two weeks delay. It seems they deliberately kept it and wanted people to pay bribes before collection. That is why most times you see unnecessary queues here. President Tinubu should do something about it. It is a terrible situation".

"In order not to be implicated or caught, they usually reject cash transfer which they know cannot be linked to them if the bubble bursts".

Also speaking, a student who gave his name as Emmanuel said just like it happens in Nigeria, the easiest way to get your passport out on time is if you know any of the officials.

" The best way to get your passport out is if you know any officials working at the commission. It is a man-know-man situation. Even at that, you still have to give them money in appreciation after the passport has been issued".

It will be recalled that in May 2021, The Nigerian High Commission in London, through then High Commissioner, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola lamented the activities of racketeers at the Mission and said it is investigating the corruption in the Nigerian passports application process in the country.

However, a group of Nigerians under the aegis of the Nigerians in Diaspora (ND) accused the High Commissioner of fraud, extortion and undue hardship inflicted on legitimate passports applicants.

President Tinubu recalled Ishola as the High Commissioner in September 2023. A replacement is yet to be named by the Federal Government.
https://thequesttimes.com/exclusive-passport-issuance-corrupt-practices-still-endemic-at-nigeria-high-commission-uk/

Na wa oo

The aggrieved applicants should report the racketeers to UK police for prosecution.

Chicagograduate:
The aggrieved applicants should report the racketeers to UK police for prosecution.

foreign government cannot investigate nor prosecute diplomat only Nigerian government can.

Very true. I think they have immunity

Pythagoras001:
foreign government cannot investigate not prosecute diplomat only Nigerian government can.

Trying to kill corruption is like trying to kill Nigerians.

I will inadvertently kill Nigerians if corruption is the air they thrive on.

What a shame.

They even took their madness to UK damn.

corruption is endemic in Nigeria and has taken hold of the country