Victor Ojei, popularly known as ‘Wong Box’ and who is also the lead activist of the Young Nigerian Rights Organization (YNRO) in Delta State, has sounded the alarm over what he called “rampant and unchecked corruption” within the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) command in Asaba.
Ojei accused the local immigration officials of engaging in several corrupt practices, including the imposition of excessive and unlawful charges, inflated fees for urgent processing, the deliberate creation of passport booklet shortages, and the exploitation of super agents and third parties.
He also cited the intentional delays in processing applications for those who fail to comply with these exploitative demands.
In a formal petition titled “Petition Against Corrupt Practices at the Delta State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Asaba, Delta State,” addressed to the Comptroller General of NIS, the Minister of Interior, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and other relevant bodies, Ojei called for an immediate investigation into the matter.
The petition reads in part: “We write to formally bring to your attention the ongoing and deeply entrenched corrupt practices at the Delta State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Asaba.
“Our findings, based on a recent investigative operation, reveal that officers at this command are extorting passport applicants through illegal fees and arbitrary charges that exceed the official payments prescribed by the Ministry of Interior. Applicants at the Delta State Command are coerced into paying additional fees that are not sanctioned by the NIS.”
Ojei further explained that after paying the official processing fee, applicants are forced to pay an illegal “commitment fee” of ₦12,000, allegedly to cover operational costs such as poor power supply.
For expedited service, applicants are required to pay an additional ₦40,000—an increase from the previous ₦15,000 and ₦20,000 charges during peak periods, such as December 2024, when demand for 10-year passports surged.
Ojei accused officers at the Delta command of deliberately creating an artificial shortage of the 66-page, 10-year passport booklet, misleading applicants into believing it was unavailable, despite sufficient supplies being available from the Abuja headquarters. This tactic was allegedly used to extract higher payments from desperate applicants.
Moreover, the investigation uncovered the involvement of unauthorised “super agents” who charge ₦50,000 per applicant, further commercialising the passport issuance process. Those who refuse to comply with these extortion demands are reportedly subjected to delays in their application process, with their cases either stalled indefinitely or given the lowest priority.
The petition continued: “These corrupt practices not only violate the Honourable Minister of Interior’s directive that applicants should not pay any additional fees beyond the official payments but also undermine public confidence in the Nigeria Immigration Service. The commercialisation of passport issuance disproportionately affects law-abiding citizens while rewarding corrupt officers who continue to exploit Nigerians for personal gain.”
The petition calls for a thorough investigation into the corrupt activities at the Delta State command, particularly the role of the Passport Controlling Officer, and the imposition of appropriate disciplinary actions for any officers found guilty. Ojei also demanded the immediate abolition of the illegal ₦12,000 “commitment fee” and the ₦40,000 express processing fee, as well as clear public communication to ensure applicants are fully aware of their rights.
Furthermore, he advocated for the deployment of a monitoring team to oversee operations at the Delta State Command to prevent further exploitation.
Additionally, Ojei suggested establishing a whistleblower and complaint mechanism, allowing affected applicants to report extortion cases without fear of retaliation.
He urged the authorities to treat the matter urgently to restore the integrity of the Nigeria Immigration Service, warning that failure to act swiftly would only embolden these corrupt practices, causing further hardship for Nigerian citizens.
As of this report, the Delta State Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Akpom-Nwanolue Ekwutos, declined to comment, stating, “I can’t speak on the issue right now because the Minister is already handling the petition. Thank you.”
