[Exclusive] Passport Issuance: Nigerians In Doha, Qatar, Beg Buhari, Onyeama As They Face Starvation, Deportation (Photos)

The fight to renew one’s Nigerian passport has left the shores of the country as many Nigerians in diaspora now have their source of livelihood and even their stay abroad threatened by an unfortunate scarcity of printing materials.

Naija News reports that it is no longer news that the world most populous black nation is grappling with an embarrassing shortage and unavailable of passport paper, which the Federal government has become silent over despite this scandal dragging on for months.

Nigerians in Doha, Qatar, are in a race against time to secure their jobs, maintain their bank accounts and prevent deportation.

A former Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation’s (NIDO) Qatar President, Victor Ikoli said that the lack of passport issuance is due to the shortage passport machines at the Nigerian Embassy in Qatar.

While calling on the Nigerian government to weigh in on the issue, Ikoli said the difficult situation is especially concerning as some employers sponsoring the Nigerian nationals are unable to help when their travel documents expire.

“The most pressing issue throughout my four-year tenure in office was the renewal and issuance of Nigerian passports,” he said according to Doha News.

Speaking to Naija News over the weekend, a lady based in Qatar, who doesn’t want her name mention, stated that she is under her husband’s sponsorship, who is yet to renew his Resident Permit and passport, which means hers can’t be renewed, putting her job at stake.

She said: “We applied for Nigeria International Passports renewal last year August. We made payments online through the designated website innovative and our payment was confirmed which allowed us to be captured.

“But we are yet to receive any passports till this moment. First issue was that our payment wasn’t verified. The embassy even published the names on Facebook through nido Qatar. Some received theirs and some didn’t, unfortunately my family and I were affected.”

The Nigerian stated that her family haven’t received any passports till this moment, adding that when they contacted innovative about their payment they were told that the money has been released to the immigration office.

Asked what the Nigerian Embassy in Qatar told them as an excuse, she said: “The Embassy is just saying they are working on it every time we go there.”

“Gradually it will be one year and we have no identity because without a valid International Passport, you have no country,” she lamented.

Also speaking to Naija News a Nigerian male revealed that he paid for the renewal of his passport in August 2021.

According to him, over 100 applicants have been told by the Embassy in Doha that the issue is from Nigeria as their hands are tied.

He stated that many Nigerians have lost their jobs adding that he has received a mail from him company threatening him with sack and deportation over his failure to get his passport renewed.

The Nigerian in diaspora disclosed that the Embassy is now telling them that the passports are being produced and they will get them when that is done.

“So many people are helpless. Federal government is yet to come to our aide. We don’t have food, jobs because of the passport issue. Those that have worked hard here are about to lose what they toiled for,” he lamented.

Speaking to Naija News Mr Gabriel Odu, NIDCOM Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit, faulted Nigerians in diaspora who delay in renewing their visas and passports.

According to Odu, passport renewals and applications should be carried out months before expiration as the consulate would have to carry out a vetting process.

“Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world and any black person would want to lay claim to its citizenship. Consulates and Embassies have to carry out a rigorous vetting process before renewing or granting visas, this takes time,” he said.

It was gathered that one of the issues affecting the issuance of passports is the gross underfunding of over 70 per cent of country’s foreign missions.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, had one time described the issue of poor funding  as a “terrible embarrassment”.

Meanwhile, attempts to get the Nigerian Embassy in Doha, Qatar was unsuccessful.

Also, Ambassador Bolaji Akinjemi, Director Consular and Legal Services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,  refused to pick up calls from our reporter.

He also refused to reply messages and questions sent to him.