The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris, says Nwamini David Ukpo, the kidney donor of the daughter of a former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu is 21, not 15.
Ekeremadu and his wife, Beatrice, were on Thursday charged with alleged conspiracy to harvest Ukpo’s organs in the United Kingdom.
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Addressing journalists virtually yesterday, the NIS CG dismissed reports alleging that the issuance of a Nigeria standard passport to Ukpo Nwamini did not follow due process.
According to him, Ukpo’s date of birth as captured by the NIS “after thorough verification, is 12-10-2000. It’s the same record on NPC and letter of indigenship by Ebonyi Government submitted by the applicant.”
He said the Service had continued to demonstrate capacity and sophistication in the administration and issuance of the passports to eligible persons, “including Mr David, in the most professional manner.
“It’s important to state that Nigeria is one of the first four countries in the world to deploy modern technological tools to run the electronic passport platform as far back as 2007.
“Ever since then, significant improvements have been recorded, including migration to the enhanced e-passport regime.
“It’s in the strength of the foregoing that one wonders about the validity of such claims that due process was not observed in the issuance of the passport issued to Mr David Ukpo Nwamini. “Suffice it be stated that the said Mr David approached the application portal of the Service, applied and paid for the enhanced e-passport at the Gwagwalada passport office, FCT Abuja, on the 2nd November 2021. All the necessary documents, including National Identity Number (NIN), issued by NIMC, letter of introduction issued by Ebonyi State Government Liaison Office situated on Mississippi Maitama District Abuja, birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission and other relevant documents to support the application of Mr David was presented for processing.
“These documents were issued by competent offices and the necessary verifications were made to confirm their validity and correctness. Consequent upon this, therefore, the said passport was issued to him having satisfied the basic requirements.
“Mr David’s application was not an exception. This is done not only to ensure that our Passports are issued to eligible persons but that the process is transparent enough to sustain the integrity of our travel document.”
