A destroyed refinery By Favour Ifeoluwa & Akinola Ajibade The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited( NNPCL) says it has destroyed 134 illegal refineries in the last few weeks. Also, the company said 63 illegal pipeline connections were uncovered during the the weeks . The corporation, In a visual report, stated that at about 2 am on Sunday, a joint team of security agents discovered a large wooden boat illicitly loading stolen crude oil from Barge AGS01 within the OML 18 operating area, noted intelligence report a large wooden wooden boat was caught receiving crude oil from the barge. According to the state-owned oil firm, while the barge was towed away with a tugboat in custody, five speedboats used in towing the large wooden boat to the illegal loading site were also detained and the particulars of the tugboats and barge used for the operation were reportedly seized for further investigation. It further said that two large boats, which involve
Adepoju
By Favour & Akinola Ajibade
Nigerians in need of fresh passport are expected to wait for six weeks, while those renewing theirs would wait for three weeks, the Acting Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service( NIS), Mrs Caroline Adepoju has said.
She, however, advised applicants to start processing passport renewal six months before it is expired.
Adepoju, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme during the week, said the Service is trying to eliminate human interface in the process of passport application.
She said the agency hopes to achieve this feat, through automation of its activities, adding that the idea would help in reducing stress and delays, Nigerians experience, while applying for passports.
She said: "One thing Nigerians know about the Nigeria Immigration Service is the issuance of the Nigerian passport and we know the number of Nigerians that have applied for passports in the past two years have been very high and unprecedented,
Adding that: “ Be that as it may, the service is working hard to ensure that we meet the expectations of Nigerians. Number one, we are automating our passport application process; we are trying to ensure that we cut out human interface.
“Our applications are available online and we are trying to sensitise our applicants that they should go online for these applications to avoid patronising louts,” Adepoju said.
The Acting Comptroller General, however, reminded Nigerians that passport is a security document, hence the need by NIS to carry out security checks, address verification among others, before it is issued.
She advised Nigerians to always start passport renewal application six months before expiration, adding that fresh applicants don’t need to wait till they need the passport to start application.
“So, I try as much as possible to let people know that if you are renewing your passport, don’t wait until it is completely expired. You can start your application process when you have six months validity on it. Then for fresh applicants, they don’t have to wait until the very last moment when
they need the passport,” she said.
Adepoju said that for a fresh application, it takes six weeks to get the passport ready, while it takes three weeks for renewal.
She said considering the crowd at the passport offices nationwide, the Service is working to ensure that applicants for passport renewal don’t need to come to approach NIS physically, since their data have already been captured.
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