 to issue international passports to applicants who meet all requirements within six weeks, as stipulated in Section 9(4) of the Immigration Act 2015.){kind=link}
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to issue international passports to applicants who meet all requirements within six weeks, as stipulated in Section 9(4) of the Immigration Act 2015.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, followed a suit filed by Benita Ngozi Ezumezu, who alleged that despite completing all necessary procedures for her passport application on October 6, 2022, the NIS failed to issue her passport even after 14 weeks.
Justice Nwite ruled in Ezumezu’s favor, dismissing the arguments presented by the respondents.
The court awarded N3 million in damages against the NIS and the Minister of Interior for violating Ezumezu’s rights to freedom of movement and failing to comply with statutory requirements.
The judge further directed the NIS to immediately issue the applicant’s passport, emphasizing that government agencies must adhere to legally defined timelines.
Ezumezu’s employer, Citizens’ Common (CC), a civil society organization, hailed the judgment as a milestone for Nigerian citizens.
The group’s Chief Executive, Olalekan Oshunkoya, described the ruling as a victory for accountability in public service.
“This landmark judgment underscores the persistent challenges Nigerians face in accessing basic services from government agencies,” Oshunkoya said. “We applaud the Judiciary for upholding citizens’ rights to timely and efficient service delivery.”
He added that the N3 million damages awarded in the case send a strong warning to public institutions about the consequences of inefficiency. Oshunkoya urged government agencies to improve service delivery and encouraged citizens to seek legal redress whenever their rights are violated.