The Federal government of Nigeria has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS) to allow Nigerians in the diaspora to return home late with their expired international passports.
Rauf Aregbesola gave the directive while responding to the complaint of a Nigerian-American citizen, Jamiu Kasumu, at the Alausa Passport Office on Wednesday, July 13.
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Kamusu complained to the minister that he was prevented from coming to Nigeria by the Nigeria Immigration in America and Delta airline, simply because his passport was expired.
“I am appealing to you sir that the Immigration should allow Nigerians with expired Passport to come back to their country,” he said
Reacting to this, Aregbesola said Nigerians were free to come back to their homeland with their expired passport.
The Minister said no Nigerian needed a travel certificate to come back home, except children, whose parents were Nigerians, but their identities were yet to be established according to immigration rules.
“I am using this medium to instruct all Nigeria Immigration Officers World-Wide to accord Nigerian travelers with expired Passport use such passports to return safely back home henceforth,” he said
The Minister also advised Nigerians in the diaspora to update their travel document ahead of time to avoid rush during emergencies.
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