THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to allow Nigerians living in the diaspora to return to Nigeria with their expired passports.
Aregbesola gave the directive on Wednesday in Lagos while responding to a complaint by a Nigerian-American citizen, Jamiu Kasumu, at the Alausa Passport Office in Ikeja, Lagos, during his unscheduled visit to the facility.
Mr Kasumu had complained to the minister that the Nigeria Immigration officials in America and Delta Airline had prevented him from boarding a flight to Nigeria because of his expired Nigerian passport. Kasumu said he was able to return to Nigeria after he got a travel certificate he obtained through a relation in Nigeria.
Responding, the minister said Nigerians were free to travel back home with an expired Nigerian passport.
“I am using this medium to instruct all Nigeria immigration officers worldwide to accord Nigerian travellers with expired passports use of such passports to return safely back home henceforth,” he said.
Nigerians across the globe are currently experiencing difficulties to renew their passports due to a number of factors, including passport booklet shortage at embassies and consulates.
Kola Tella
