The Nigeria Immigration Service Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja has apprehended two girls who were about to board a Cairo-Egypt bound Egypt Airline flight and were detected when the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) used for scanning their passport refused clearing the tampered passports due to an imposed fake identity of the true holder.
A signed statement by the NIS Public Relations Office, DCI Sunday James and made available to Channel Network Afrique indicates that the girls were duly subjected to interrogation when caught against their claim of traveling for Business as the journey was an arranged one by a suspect who they claimed to be their Agent by name “Muri” whose number was called severally without response.
James stated that Muri was alleged to be behind the processing of the tampered passports with a man’s picture on the chip when read by the MIDAS scanner, an offense punishable by the Immigration Act 2015 on Passport related offences relating to Aiding, identity theft and tampering with the passport.
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede has however directed that à thorough investigation be carried out to expose the syndicates behind this act, and the two passports withdrawn as evidence and kept in custody until the agent “Muri” is located.
The two girls by name Adebayo Kolapo Kazeem and Babalola Kehinde are witnesses for the prosecution of the agent, whenever he is found.
CGI Babandede therefore warned prospective applicants for the Nigerian passport from allowing criminal elements to take undue advantage of their desperation to perpetrate crimes such as these, that is punishable by imprisonment and or fine in an attempt to procure passport for traveling out of country.
The two girls are presently helping the Nigeria Immigration Service with useful informations that will help in the arrest of the agent “Muri” for prosecution of the case.
