The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD) expresses profound dismay and grave concern over widely reported claims that the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has concluded plans that would effectively disqualify South-East states from printing international passports through the alleged shutdown of the region’s only passport production centre located at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) zonal headquarters in Enugu.
If these reports are accurate, FOSAD considers such a decision deeply troubling, inequitable, and inconsistent with the principles of federal character, fairness, and inclusive governance as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Enugu passport production centre currently serves the five South-East states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo and has remained a critical federal facility for routine and emergency passport processing for millions of citizens.
The reported dismantling and removal of passport production equipment by a technical team allegedly deployed from Abuja, if true, amounts to a de facto withdrawal of a vital federal service from an entire geopolitical zone. Such an action would impose undue hardship on citizens of the South-East, compelling them to travel long distances to other regions or to Abuja for services that ought to be accessible within their zone. This would escalate costs, worsen delays, and further strain an already overstretched passport processing system.
FOSAD notes with concern that this development comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with severe economic pressures. Forcing South-East residents to incur additional transportation, accommodation, and logistical expenses in order to access basic citizenship documentation is not only insensitive but socially unjust. Emergency travel cases involving health, education, employment, and family matters would be disproportionately affected.
Beyond the immediate inconvenience, the reported action raises serious questions about regional equity, access to federal infrastructure, and the broader pattern of exclusion that many citizens of the South-East perceive in the distribution and retention of national institutions. The apparent absence of any official clarification from the Nigeria Immigration Service or the Federal Ministry of Interior has further deepened public anxiety and eroded confidence in government transparency.
FOSAD emphasizes that passport issuance is a sovereign service and a fundamental right of citizenship, not a privilege that should be geographically restricted or administratively centralized to the detriment of any region. The South-East, like every other geopolitical zone, deserves adequate and functional federal facilities commensurate with its population, contribution to national development, and constitutional status.
Accordingly, the Forum of South-East Academic Doctors calls on:
- The Federal Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately issue a clear and authoritative statement clarifying the status of the Enugu passport production centre.
- The Honourable Minister of Interior to halt, reverse, or reconsider any decision—formal or informal—that would result in the shutdown or downgrading of passport production in the South-East.
- The Presidency and National Assembly to urgently intervene to ensure equitable access to federal services and prevent actions that may further alienate any section of the country.
- South-East political leaders and representatives at all levels to engage decisively with relevant authorities in defense of the legitimate interests of their constituents.
FOSAD firmly believes that national unity, trust in public institutions, and democratic stability are strengthened not weakened when government policies are seen to be fair, consultative, and inclusive. Any action that appears to single out a region for administrative disadvantage undermines these ideals and must be addressed without delay.
We urge the authorities to act swiftly to allay public fears, restore confidence, and reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to equity, justice, and equal citizenship for all Nigerians.
Signed
Dr. Stephen Nwala
President
Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
Dr. Uzor Ngoladi
Secretary General
Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
www.fosads.org
