New Nigeria international passport to cost N70,000, says NIS

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Monday said registration and the issuance of new international passport would cost Nigerians N70,000.

NIS spokesman Sunday James, who made the disclosure, said the agency will commence issuance of the new international passport from Monday, March 4 2019 in Abuja.

Issuance of the passport will commence in Ikoyi in Lagos on March 25, Kano on April 1, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos on April 8 and London, United Kingdom April 15.

He said the phase two multiple rollout in New York, Washington, and Atlanta, USA would follow immediately after London on April 22; while other locations, local and abroad, would follow in sequence from April 29.


Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, January 16 launched the new red diplomatic passport at an emergency Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

However, NIS spokesman said existing passport booklet will run concurrently with the new enhanced passport booklet until the former expires.

According to James, the advantages of the new passport includes its 10-year validity, self-tracking of application and express centres for urgent application.

Other advantages he said included weather friendliness, compliance with latest ICAO standard, polycarbonate technology that reduces the incidence of damage as well saves Nigerians in the Diaspora time of frequent visits to Nigerian Embassies.

He, however, urged “Nigerians to take advantage of the reforms, avoid patronising third party or touts and utilise the online platforms provided by the service for their passport application.”

Buhari Campaign Organization drags Atiku to court, demands N40million

The Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) has instituted a N40million libel suit against the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of defaming President Muhammadu Buhari and his family.


Buhari was cited as the 2nd Plaintiff in the suit, that was lodged before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

The Plaintiffs are praying the court, to compel the PDP flag-bearer to pay damages, for alleging that President Buhari and members of his family own substantial shares in 9mobile and Keystone Bank.


The BCO, in the suit that has Atiku’s aide, Phrank Shaibu as the 1st defendant, insisted that the claim was not only false, but highly libelous.

The plaintiff is seeking a declaration that “the 1st Defendant (Phrank Shaibu) on behalf and for the 2nd Defendant (Atiku) neglectfully, unlawfully and recklessly permitted and caused to be published in Newspapers, defamatory and damaging statements against the 1st Plaintiff (President Buhari)”.

The BCO applied for an order of the court for specific Damages against the Defendants jointly and severally in the sum of Thirty Millions Naira (N30,000,000.00), as the total sum above listed as financial loss the Plaintiffs incurred due to the wrongful, neglectful and fraudulent acts of the Defendants, which forced the Plaintiffs to spend to correct the wrong impression created in the minds of the members of the public due to the publication caused and published by the Defendants.


The plaintiffs also want an order for “general damages in the sum of (N10,000,000,00) Ten Million Naira only jointly and severally against the Defendants for the embarrassment, pain and unnecessary financial loss suffered by the Plaintiffs most particularly the 1 st Plaintiff who is a public figure, an honourable presidential candidate and reputable gentleman to the core”.

As well as an order of the court “for the payment of the sum of (N375,OOO.OO) Three Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira only being incidental expenses and/or legal charges which the 1st Plaintiff incurred in respect of this matter”.

In a witness statement on oath made by its Director of Communication and Strategic Planning, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim, the BCO, told the court that Atiku and his media aide engaged in smeared campaign of calumny against Buhari, by willfully allowing and sponsoring the said purported defamatory and image damaging statements made by the 1st Defendant to be published by some newspapers to members of the public.

Ibrahim averred that as such, President Buhari’s reputations was greatly affected by undue diligence, with regards to the authenticity of the information as it relate to the true ownership of the alleged companies which the 1st Defendant on behalf and for the 2nd defendant, falsely published in the newspapers for the consumption of the general public.

“The 2nd Defendant permitted and sponsored the 1 st Defendant, Mr. Phrank Shaibu to make and publish defamatory and damaging statement against the 1st Plaintiff in order for 2nd Defendant to get undue advantage in terms of votes from the member of the public more than the 1st Plaintiff (Buhari), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

“That the 2nd Defendant who is a Presidential Candidate of the People Democratic Party hanged on this publications and using same on every campaign grounds to smear the person of the 1st Plaintiff to his supporters and other members of the public.

“That the 1st Defendant as an agent to the 2nd Defendant who is freely accessible to members of the public for patronage on behalf the 2nd Defendant, has the duty to investigate any information/documents means to be issued out either by words of mouth or publication to the members of public, most particularly where such information concerned a third a party or any member of the public.

“That the 1st Defendant without investigating the authenticity of the purported defamatory information with intent to damaged the reputation and integrity of the 1 st Plaintiff caused to be published in the Newspapers. That the Plaintiffs shall tendered two daily newspapers the Vanguard and Punch Newspapers both dated 27th December,2018 before the court during the hearing.

“That the 1st Defendant, to investigate and to ascertain the true ownership of the Keystone Bank Plc and 9Mobile Ltd (Etisalat) needed only to go to the Corporate Affairs Commission to find out whether the said Companies truly belong to the 1st Plaintiff before publishing that the Companies were bought and own by the 1st Plaintiff, his family and friends in the purported publications.

“That the Defendants having willingly refused to so do, have failed to exercise due diligence and were therefore Negligent.

“That the 1 st Defendant for and on behalf of the 2 nd Defendant negligently caused to be published defamatory and damaging statements against the 1 st Plaintiff and the 2nd Defendant gave the 1St Defendant and his cohorts the mandate to use the said publications against the Plaintiffs all over the place.

“That the neglectful acts of the Defendants more particularly that of the 1st Defendant has caused grave pain, embarrassment and integrity question to the Plaintiffs more particularly to the 1st Plaintiff (Buhari),” he added.

2019 election: Atiku’s campaign groups raise alarm over lack of funds, say ex-VP may lose election

The Coalition of All Atiku Support Groups, Lagos State has decried alleged lack of campaign materials for about 800 pro-Atiku groups in the state.


The coalition also claimed that coordinators of these groups in Lagos and some South West states are using their money to facilitate members to all PDP rallies without grants from campaign headquarters.

Speaking through its Chairman, Mark Iheanyi, who is also the Founder/National Chairman, the group said that the former Vice President, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, risks losing over four million voters from the state.


According to the group, Atiku may suffer a huge loss due to “the lingering denial of campaign materials and grants.”

Iheanyi said, “The leadership of the party has never told us that the support groups will not be compensated for their efforts.

“The tactical manner they are going about it needs to be re-examined. Even when PDP leaders had a meeting with the coordinators of the groups in Lagos, they went home disgruntled.


“Something has to be done fast before our teeming members are demoralised and forced to abandon the campaign.

“Given the 6.6 million voting population of Lagos State, we require at least two campaign buses for each of the three senatorial zones.”

BREAKING: Council of State reaches final decision on new minimum wage

The National Council of State presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N27,000 as the new minimum wage.


The national council approved the sum during an ongoing meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The meeting had in attendance former presidents like Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, among others.


Details later…

Amnesty International reacts to decentralization of SARS, says police action not enough

Amnesty International has reacted to the disbandment of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other special squads by the newly-appointed Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed.


AIG Mohammed had on Monday ordered the decentralization of SARS which was earlier centralized at the Force Headquarters.

Mohammed gave the order at a meeting with officers in the rank of Commissioners of Police and above on Monday in Abuja, ordering that with the new arrangement, commissioners of police in the 36 states and the FCT would assume full command and control all SARS in their commands.


The police boss said henceforth, the SARS unit in the force headquarters would be under the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID).

Reacting, Amnesty International in a statement signed by its Director, Osai Ojigho said the disbandment of SARS “Acknowledges years of outcry from Nigerians over human rights violations routinely committed by its members”

Ojigbo said that the new development, however, commendable was not enough measure by the Nigerian Police to stop human rights abuses by the police.


The statement reads, “The disbandment of the notorious Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) acknowledges years of outcry from Nigerians over human rights violations routinely committed by its members. However, disbandment alone is not enough and must be followed with concrete reforms that will end gross violations by the police altogether.

‘Wide-ranging reforms must be carried out so that Nigerians can trust the police to provide law enforcement according to Nigerian laws and international standards. The toxic climate of fear and corruption perpetrated by the police must end.

“Much more needs to be done to end unnecessary and excessive of force, extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention and extortion. Wide-ranging reforms must be carried out so that Nigerians can trust the police to provide law enforcement according to Nigerian laws and international standards. The toxic climate of fear and corruption perpetrated by the police must end.

“Previous attempts to end the use of torture by the Nigerian police have proven ineffective.

“To draw a line under these atrocities, they must be investigated, and the perpetrators brought to justice.

“Compelling evidence of crimes and human rights violations committed by FSARS is widely available, including in reports by Amnesty International and can aid effective investigation of crimes committed by the squad.”