Hajj 2024: Islamic Group Commends E-Passport Reforms

By Ajayi Sodiq

The Nigerian Communities in Saudi Arabia and the Nigeria Islamic Clerics Forum have praised Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Interior Minister, for the newly improved simplicity of processing and collecting E-Passports during the Hajj operations.

Islamic organizations, who expressed gratitude for the quick processing times, claimed that Muslims who wish to do the Hajj will receive their passports more quickly due to the bureaucratic obstacles removed when international e-passports were issued to applicants.

Following an Islamic conference in Kaduna to examine Muslim communities and Hajj operations in Nigeria, a six-point communiqué was released with the commendations.

The Nigeria Islamic Community Forum acknowledged in a communiqué signed by Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Mohammed and Malam Shehu Lawal Danbatta, the conclaves of the conference, that the introduction of additional improved e-passport facilities at certain Nigerian Embassies in Europe made it easier for pilgrims to prepare for this year’s Hajj because they could get their passports in less than a day after applying.

The Nigerian Communities in Saudi Arabia said that although the enhanced E-Passport has addressed the issue of lengthy lines with foreign nationals at immigration posts of Nigerian airports and seaports, the enhancement in the e-passport issuance would go a long way in protecting applicants from falling victim to scammers.

The press release stated, in part, that “at the conference, Nigerian Communities in Saudi Arabia noted that the e-passport complied with all standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, positioning Nigeria as the first country in Africa and the fifth worldwide to embrace the technological achievement.”

“We express our satisfaction that the arduous process that applicants had to endure to receive their e-passports has been eliminated, and that the days of touts preying on applicants’ frustrations are now over.”

“That we listed as one of the outstanding accomplishments of this administration the capacity of the Ministry of Interior to expeditiously process applications and issue Nigerians with passports.”

The Islamic groups all agreed that “the introduction of E-Passport helped to ease the administrative bottleneck usually experienced during Hajj Operations with Nigerians residing abroad now able to get passports with 48 hours of application,” even though they said that Interior Minister Olutubummi Tunji-Ojo had been able to address the issue that had been unresolved for more than 50 years.

During the meeting, Hajiya Maryam Isa Mohammed, the Women in Islam Foundation Coordinator, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for releasing grains during the month of Ramadan, addressing the issue of economic hardship.

Regarding the E-Passport issue, she stated that the newly opened facilities at the Nigerian Embassies had both shortened processing times and demonstrated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to citizen diplomacy and improving services for the diaspora population.

“It is undeniable that the newly established passport processing centres have facilitated the acquisition and processing of passports for Nigerians living abroad.”

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

SPONSORED