A group, Independent Hajj Reporters has called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency look into the issue of scarcity of E- passport booklets in some immigration offices across the county.
Findings by the group reveal that immigration offices in states like Kaduna, Abuja, Osun and Kano have no standard category e-passport in stock as intending pilgrims are told to capture their biometrics data and come back later for the passport.
The civil society said that the scarcity of E passport is affecting the 2018 hajj pilgrims’ registration process and calls on concerned relevant agencies to quickly ensure the availability of the passport.
International passport is a hajj registration and visa requirement as contained in the guidelines issued by NAHCON for the requirements of pilgrims by state pilgrims boards
it will be recalled that NAHCON has set April ending as the deadline for the 2018 hajj pilgrims registration deadline. The scarcity of E-passport booklets will prevent intending pilgrims from being registered by their respective States pilgrims board.
Also, Saudi Arabia has made biometric registration compulsory for Umrah and Hajj pilgrims, without E – passport such will not be possible.
