Some Nigerians In Diaspora have called on the federal government of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari to help them in securing their Nigerian passport.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Network, NDN, Germany chapter made the appeal on Friday, November 12, at a rally in Oberhausen, Germany,
The Chairman, NDN, Victor Ojeabulu said that if things didn’t change it would be a problem for them and might lead to their deportation.
He stated that obtaining a Nigerian passport had become quite difficult because when they got to the embassies they would be told that booklets were not available.
Ojeabulu urged the president to look into their situation and help them with the provision of Nigerian passports.
He said: “We are here today to make a special appeal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We want to let him know the predicament in which our people are going through here in Germany.
“For some months, our people have not been able to obtain their Nigerian passport and a lot are going through hell; those working need to renew their passport for them to continue work.
“It is very sad and as a mouth piece of the people, the Nigerians in Diaspora Network, we felt we have to make an appeal to the Federal Government.
“I do not see any reason why our people should be going through all that, it is not responsible for our people to go through all these.
“Today we are on a distress call on Nigerian government to urgently address international passport dilemma in Diaspora.
“The sad story is that we book appointments for Nigerian international passport with Nigeria embassies; we travel unimaginable distance sometimes across international borders to pay and be captured for the passport.
“Thereafter, we are made to wait indefinitely on the ground that booklets are not available.
“Most times this happens when Nigerians needs this international passport urgently to renew their residency or embark on crucial documentation procedures in their respective countries.
“You can imagine how it sounds to return to your host government authority with frivolous excuse why we cannot present our international passport on demand.
“It has been conservatively estimated that over 10 million Nigerians are in Diaspora.
“If 50 per cent of five million are documented, they will request for passport renewal every five years at an average cost of 100 dollars.
“This will amount to foreign exchange earnings of Five hundred million dollars in five years cycle.
“The revenue accruing from international passport services in Nigeria is also staggering.”
