Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has directed selected passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays in order to clear backlog of passport applications.

The NIS said this on Saturday in a statement by Tony Akuneme, its public relations officer.

Akuneme said Isa Jere, comptroller-general, gave the directive to enable the service reduce the backlog ocassioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the Covid pandemic.

“The C-G has directed that passport offices across the country with high volume of pending applications to work on Saturdays,” the statement reads.

“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday commencing from December 3, 2022 to January 28, 2023 between the period of 10 am to 2 pm.

“This is to enhance our service delivery to our esteemed clients.

“The Saturdays proceding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted.”

According to the statement, Jere also approved the deployment of the passport controller in Ekiti to Jigawa, while the one in Ondo was moved to the NIS zonal office in Ibadan.

The NIS spokesman said going forward, the comptroller-general will hold passport officials accountable for any acts of indiscipline by officials under their watch.

He added that the CG has resolved to make passport services available and stress-free to the public, especially during the festive season.