A Federal High Court in Abuja has made an important ruling regarding passport delays in Nigeria. The court ordered the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to ensure that applicants who meet all the requirements are issued international passports within six weeks. This decision is in line with the Immigration Act of 2015, specifically Section 9(4), which sets a timeline for passport issuance.
The ruling came after a Nigerian citizen, Benita Ngozi Ezumezu, filed a case against the NIS and the Interior Minister. Benita had applied for her passport on October 6, 2022, fulfilling all the required steps. However, despite waiting for over 14 weeks, the NIS did not issue her passport. In her lawsuit, she claimed that this delay violated her right to freedom of movement.
On December 4, 2024, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled in Benita’s favor. He dismissed the arguments of the NIS and the Minister, agreeing that the delays were unjustified. The court granted all the reliefs Benita sought, including an award of N3 million in damages. The judgment recognized that the delay in issuing the passport violated her basic right to travel freely.
The court’s decision is a significant reminder that Nigerians who meet all the necessary requirements should not face unnecessary delays when applying for passports. The Interior Ministry and the NIS are now legally obligated to process and issue passports within six weeks to avoid further legal actions.
This ruling brings hope to many Nigerians who have faced similar delays in obtaining their passports, ensuring that the Immigration Act’s provisions are upheld and that the rights of applicants are respected.
Justice Nwite ruled: “As of October 6, 2022, the applicant had fulfilled all the requirements and was qualified to be issued a passport within six weeks.” He further ordered, “The first respondent (NIS) is directed to issue the applicant (Benita) passport forthwith as stipulated in Section 9(4) of the Immigration Act 2015.”
Benita’s employer, Citizens’ Common (CC), a civil society organization, welcomed the judgment and commended the Judiciary for upholding the rights of Nigerians.
CC’s Chief Executive, Olalekan Oshunkoya, speaking on behalf of the organization, said: “Our interest in Benita’s case is not just because she is a staff in our organization, but primarily because the service quality of the NIS has diminished to an all-time low in the last few years.
“The frustrating experiences of Nigerians, seeking to procure international passports in the hands of the NIS officials must be stopped.
“We understand that the service may have slightly improved in recent months under the current administration; however, we know that this case (Ezumezu’s case) highlights the plights of most Nigerians in the hands of many government ministries, departments and agencies when it comes to service delivery.
“After almost two years of litigation, we are glad that justice has been served in this matter. All the prayers sought in the case were granted by the judge.
“We commend the Judiciary for serving justice in this matter. This is a landmark judgment, asserting the right of every Nigerian to demand to be served right, especially when such service is tied to a fundamental right, such as freedom of movement.
“It should not be acceptable that services that can only be provided by the government remain poorly delivered without consequences.
“The award of the three million naira in general damages to the applicant is a reminder to every Nigerian that the law remains a shield against bad experiences and services from government ministries, departments, and agencies.
“We must sound the alarm that losses incurred in the process of poor service delivery can be remedied through the courts, and this is an example. It is also a reminder to public service providers that consequences exist for poor service delivery.”