Two women have been arrested with fake passports at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The suspects who were about to board a Cairo, Egypt-bound flight were detected by operatives when the Migration Information and Data Analysis System, MIDAS, did not clear their passports.
A statement on Thursday, January 21, 2021, by the spokesman of Immigration Service, Sunday James said the ladies were apprehended and interrogated.
“They 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 explained.
The statement noted that Muri was alleged to be behind the processing of the doctored passports with a man’s picture on the chip when read by the MIDAS scanner.
He said the act was an offence punishable by the Immigration Act 2015 on Passport related offences relating to Aiding, identity theft, and tampering with the passport.
James said: “The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Muhammad Babandede has directed that à thorough investigation be carried out to expose the syndicates behind this act, and the two passports withdrawn as evidence and kept in custody until the agent “Muri” is located.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. “
Source: The Nation
