Coronavirus: Nigerian Immigration Service suspends passport issuance

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the temporary suspension of passports and migrant registration, following the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the country, with a record of  a total of 36 cases and one death.

Penpushing reports that, the Comptroller General of the service, Muhammed Babandede made this known in a press statement on Monday, adding that the suspension takes effect from  March 23 to April 23 and is in line with the government’s directives.

The Federal Government had earlier on Saturday suspended all international flights into the country after the number of confirmed cases rose, and the closure is expected to last till April 23.

Penpushing further reports that Nigeria confirmed its first case of the virus on February 27, after an Italian citizen who travelled to Ewekoro in Ewekoro Local Government area of Ogun State fell ill, and later diagnosed as having contacted the virus.

The Italian was later rushed to a Lagos hospital, and placed on admission for weeks, but few days ago discharged, having been found to have recovered from the disease, while the second case which was confirmed on March 9, was a Nigerian citizen who had come in contact with the patient of the index case.