Headlines
Islamic Forum opposes centralisation of passport printing, warns of hardship for northern applicants
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Islamic Forum of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to reconsider plans to centralise passport booklet printing and security personalisation at a single facility in Abuja.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Forum said the proposed centralisation could create serious logistical challenges, increase costs for applicants and disrupt access to international travel documents, particularly for residents of Northern states and emergency applicants.
The position was contained in a press statement signed by the Executive Secretary of the Islamic Forum of Nigeria, Alhaji Dalhatu Muhammad Gwarzo, on Wednesday.
The Forum said it was concerned about ongoing initiatives by the NIS and the Ministry of Interior to change the country’s travel document infrastructure by centralising passport booklet printing and processing in Abuja, warning that the policy could lead to the closure of passport offices in many states.
It argued that passports currently produced at regional facilities in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Enugu and Calabar already utilise modern security features, including polycarbonate technology, embedded chips and uniform security standards.
According to the organisation, concentrating passport printing strictly in Abuja would therefore provide no additional security value but could introduce significant operational vulnerabilities.
The Forum said centralising physical printing would increase transit risks and financial burdens for ordinary citizens, particularly those in remote Northern communities.
It noted that applicants from states such as Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Kano and Borno could be forced to undertake costly trips to state capitals or Abuja simply to track passport production and dispatch.
The organisation also warned that a single-location model could expose the passport issuance system to serious disruption in the event of mechanical maintenance, hardware failure or power interruption at the Abuja facility.
It recalled that Nigeria had previously operated a centralised passport issuance system before 2000, under which booklet printing and data corrections could only be authorised in Abuja.
The Forum said the system resulted in backlogs, institutional corruption and widespread public distress before the government decentralised passport processing to state commands in the early 2000s.
“Abandoning local printing capabilities to return to a central model disregards the key lessons learned from those historical bottlenecks,” it said.
The Forum further argued that the scale of national demand made centralised production risky, noting that existing regional hubs collectively possess printing capacity exceeding 30,000 passports daily, with no major location issuing fewer than 1,500 passports per day.
It said replacing the regional network with a single central printer capable of producing barely 10,000 booklets daily would create an immediate operational deficit.
*Northern, emergency applicants at risk*
The Islamic Forum said the proposed policy could have particularly serious consequences for applicants with urgent medical, academic, religious and other travel needs.
It warned that citizens travelling abroad for emergency medical treatment could be unable to withstand lengthy courier delays from Abuja, while international students facing visa deadlines could equally be affected.
The organisation also expressed concern about intending pilgrims preparing for Umrah and Hajj, saying seasonal disruptions in local commands could prevent them from obtaining passports in time.
To avert what it described as a potential nationwide administrative disruption, the Forum called on the Federal Government and NIS to urgently review the centralisation roadmap.
It advocated retaining and upgrading regional passport printing hubs, particularly high-capacity centres such as Kano and Port Harcourt, to maintain decentralised production and provide redundancy in the system.
The Forum also called for state comptrollers to be granted explicit operational authority and local equipment to process and print emergency booklets for verified medical evacuees, students and seasonal pilgrims.
It said addressing the concerns would help create a modern, secure and accessible passport system for Nigerians.
The Islamic Forum appealed to Nigerians to support its position while urging the NIS to reconsider the proposed policy.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Ibrahim Khalil
Government Secondary School (GSS) Army Day Bukavu has emerged champion in both the male and female categories of the maiden Kano State Secondary Schools Tug of War Competition.
KANO FOCUS reports that the school clinched the double victory at the competition, which ended on Wednesday at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, Kano.
Governors College finished as runners-up in the male category, while Government Girls College (GGC) Kano secured second position in the female category.
The competition was organised by the Kano State Tug of War Association in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kano State Sports Commission.
The maiden championship brought together secondary school students to promote teamwork, discipline, unity and sportsmanship, while raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Jamilu Uba Adamu, described the competition as a successful initiative that had achieved its objectives.
He commended the Ministry of Education, Sports Commission, NDLEA, Gongoni Company Limited and MAGZO Pharmaceutical for supporting the event, particularly through the provision of T-shirts and Pocari Sweat drinks.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Bashir Muhammad Sulaiman, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to developing grassroots and school sports.
He said the initiative would help identify and nurture young sporting talents across the state.
The closing ceremony was attended by a member of the Kano State Football Association Board, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa Garu, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NDLEA, the Sports Commission and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The organisers congratulated the winning schools and commended all participating institutions and partners for contributing to the success of the maiden edition.
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