- By Abiodun Ogunnowo
Lagosians invasion of Abeokuta passport office and the scarcity of booklets that had been manoeuvring the territory since 2016 has cause lot of mayhem on issuance and collection of passport in the immigration annex at Abeokuta while is no more an easier arena to get quick passport within 24hrs like the olden year 2012 when information has not been much wired around to the public.
The days of collection of your passport a day or 3hrs and happy go home and when no document(requirements) would be required of the applicants before to get their passport had been abolished but now that a document will be required of you before to have your passport processed is being stationed and applied to every new applicants. No one has ever rejoice about this recent development due to no former sweet days is being passed.
In the meantime of 2012, no one has ever heard about fast track passport or one month processed which is at the rate of 25- 35k than when the applicants used to drop 18k on the table and scot-free on their matching shoulder away with no bother, but now people are paying and still waiting for 10 days means if there is available booklets, but in the case there was none, applicants were said to be waiting for 30 -60 days.
I could see a guy who hold his capturing slip of February and still put on hold till April and yet no hope or there is so because of a lack of booklets bringing from the domination obstacle of the hungry applicants to make them lost their title as a “place of centre of easier passport convenience” among some immigration office in the country.
Really, if the shortage of booklet may be put aside and there is a sufficient tools to do their job, Abeokuta still remain the perfect corner for the applicants to do their things.
But if you are going to Abeokuta for passport, applicants must beware of the touts or people you meet or though there are no history of fraudulent practices on passport as there is a unit for verification of applicants files before must be approved and stamped by the officers so before you must be called up for capturing and be given a slip for the date of collection of your passport.
Although there is no interview and requirements to bring by the applicants for a renewal of passport and so all this make Abeokuta still remain for the title. It stress non applicants nothing. I said it again though there is no hoarding and passport fraud, applicants must get their passport as well as booklets is available, but that does not delay them for collecting applicants everyday for capturing. Be warned, but do not pay 35k for any fast track when there is shortage of booklets because you are still going to wait pass the 30 days.
It is really advisable for applicants to do their homework very well before jump into the game with touts or immigration to help them carry their file throughout all the process as it is their normal costume. Touts might even follow you up and you get your passport because they work in company with immigration and later the day to see their commission.
But you must ask those who have collected their passport there before to show you the right immigration or touts to help you out as an applicant rather you just burst on anyone you see and end of the day be a victim as you loose your money.
Though there is no collection of receipt after the online registration and as well a little kiosk office located outside beside the office fence where both officers and senior officers were going to register applicants and arrange for their files, but this place were owned by some top senior officers in the immigration and had some special staff being their representatives and working for them.
I the writer of this article has paraded Abeokuta 5 times for the collection of my passport since after 3 weeks of capturing and yet no hope to get my passport but for what i get is the shortage of booklets and i should still have sometime to stay at home and not bother myself being parade like a soldier.
I believe I did not write against anyone, but experience that is the best teacher in order to borrow others to share with me on the Lagosian domination it cause moribund service in Abeoukuta immigration annex.
Written by Abiodun ogunnowo
NIJ graduate
