London, UK – On Wednesday morning, Nigerian nationals residing in the United Kingdom expressed their frustration by storming the Nigerian High Commission in London. The protesters were extremely frustrated with the prolonged delays in obtaining their international passports and demanded swift action from the Nigerian government.
Videos circulating on social media platform X depicted the intense atmosphere as protesters expressed their frustration regarding the lengthy six-month wait for passport issuance. Messages displayed on placards include “Nigerian passport is our right.” Avoid the additional $318 fee. The minister’s promise of two weeks has now stretched to six months, highlighting the extent of their dissatisfaction.
In December 2023, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made assurances that now stand in stark contrast to the demonstration. The minister promised a quick two-week turnaround for passport applications and an end to the laborious task of manual data entry. In addition, he made a commitment to implement online registration, streamlining the process for applicants who will only need to visit passport offices for biometric capture and collection.
Although these promises were made, the ongoing protest in London serves as a clear indication of the inability to fulfil these commitments. The actions of the protesters serve as a powerful reminder of the difficulties encountered by Nigerians in their quest to obtain necessary travel documents.
The Nigerian High Commission in London and the entire Tinubu administration is under mounting pressure to address the passport crisis and regain the trust of its citizens living abroad as the situation continues to develop.
The protests in London came as Nigerians across their national territory were bracing to start 10 days of nationawide protests against rising costs of living. Tagged the #EndBadgovernance protests, early reports already suggest that thousands had flocked the streets this morning at the start of what promises to a difficult time for Africa’s most populaous nation.
