The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed March 7 and 8 for a suit by a woman, Benita Ezumezu, challenging the non-issuance of her passport by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) over 14 weeks after she applied for it.
Ezumezu, in her January 18, 2022 application before Justice Emeka Nwike, named the NIS and the Minister of Interior as defendants.
The applicant averred that she applied to the NIS for a passport to make some work-related travels.
She said after making payments, she was given October 6, 2022, as the day for her biometric enrolment and she was enrolled that day.
The applicant said the NIS informed her in writing that her passport would be issued six weeks from the day of her biometric enrolment.
Over 14 weeks after her biometric enrolment, the NIS had yet to issue her the passport.
The applicant argued that this had caused her both monetary and career losses as she had missed several work-related opportunities some of which opportunities were irreversibly lost.
Ezumezu prayed the court to declare the non-issuance of her passport after 14 weeks of enrolment as a contravention of the Immigration Act and her right to her freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Constitution and the African Charter.
Her counsel, Solomon Okedara, contended that the case presents “a golden opportunity for the court not only to rise to the occasion and once again shows itself as the last hope of the common man, but to also help build our institutions with enduring values anchored on the laws of our land.”
Among some of the reliefs sought in the suit, the Applicant asked for an order directing the NIS to issue her passport forthwith as stipulated in Section 9(4) of the Immigration Act, 2015.
The applicant is also seeking an order of the court directing the Minister to ensure the NIS’ adherence to the issuance of the passport forthwith as stipulated in Section 9 (4) of the Immigration Act and not exceeding the six weeks communicated by the respondents.