Aregbesola: Why passport racketeering reduced in Lagos

The Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the weekend explained why racketeering of international passports reduced in Lagos.
Aregbesola said the measures adopted helped to reduce congestion and over-stretched of existing facilities.

According to him the creation of additional passports centres in Ikoyi-Festac, Alausa and Amuwo Odofin substantially reduced passports racketeering.

He however lamented that despite the measures, some Nigerians preferred to follow illegal routes to obtain the documents.

The Minister made the remarks while receiving officials of the Professional Statisticians Society of Nigeria in his office. The body was led by its President, Professor Waheed Yahya.

Aregbesola identified statistical data analysis and its scientific use as necessary for successful implementation of government programmes and policies and effective service delivery.

He explained in a statement by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Afonja Ajibola, that his knowledge of and use of statistical data tremendously helped him as an active player at different levels of administration in life.

The Minister regretted that given government intervention in passports issuance, it was unfortunate that many who do not want to follow laid down rules and procedures still land in the hands of unscrupulous people who extort money from them.