Isah Idris, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has clarified the age of the alleged organ harvesting victim linked to Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife.
Briefing journalists virtually on Sunday, Mr Idris said the boy applied for his passport using the online portal and was captured on November 2, 2021.
He also said that the date of birth provided by David Ukpo Nwamina for the application was October 12, 2000, Which contradicts the claim of the UK prosecutors that said the boy is 15 years old.
What the Immigration boss is saying
Mr Idris said following the boy’s online application, he then visited the Gwagwalada office of Immigration in Abuja with his birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission, National Identification Number (NIN) and a letter of indigeneship from the Ebonyi State Liason office confirming he is from the state.
The Immigration boss noted that the boy’s international passport was issued after thorough checks.
He said “The Service wishes to set the record straight by informing the general public that the views being expressed that the service did not properly vet the breeder documents issued by the applicant during his passport application process are not correct, but mere fabrications aimed at tarnishing the image of the Service.
“The facts of the matter concerning the case above, therefore, are that the said Mr David Ukpo Nwamina applied and paid for the Enhanced e-passport using the NIS portal after which he approached the Gwagwalada Passport Office, FCT Abuja, on November 2, 2021, for his interview.”
“To support his application, Mr Nwamina presented all the necessary documents required, including his birth certificate issued by National Population Commission, showing October 12, 2000, as his date of birth; his National Identity Number, issued by NIMC corroborating the date of birth; a certificate of origin issued by Ebonyi State Government Liaison Office Abuja, and a Guarantor’s form duly signed.
“In view of the above, the general public may wish to be informed that the date of birth, or any other information, on any Nigerian passport is printed on the document only after a thorough vetting process that involves both the applicant’s breeder documents and the person. Mr Nwamina’s case, therefore, was not an exception,” Mr Idris said.
He also said since the matter came to the limelight, the Nigerian immigration is yet to be contacted by the Metropolitan police that charged the senator and his wife to court.
In case you missed it
- Nairametrics had reported that the former deputy senate president and his wife were arrested in the United Kingdom for an alleged organ harvesting offence.
- They were arraigned before the Uxbridge Magistrates Court on June 23, they prayed the court to grant them bail but were denied bail.
- The magistrate adjourned the matter till July 7 and ordered that they be remanded in custody till then with their passports deposited with the UK government.
- Recall a letter had surfaced proving Mr Ekwerenmadu notified the UK government of a request to facilitate a visa for a boy who was coming as a kidney donor for his daughter.
- As against the claim that the boy is 15, his international passport photos making rounds online showed that he is 21 years old as it’s dated October 12, 2000, confirming what the immigration boss said.
