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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
Dr Goni Faruk Umar has urged Muslims to embrace Taqwa in their daily lives, describing it as a foundation of Islam and a key to righteous conduct and success in this world and the hereafter.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Islamic scholar made the call while delivering a Juma’a sermon at the New Juma’a Mosque, Rumfa College, Kano.
In the sermon, Dr Goni Faruk Umar explained the meaning of Taqwa using classical Islamic scholarship, including an account involving Umar ibn al-Khattab and the companion Ubayy ibn Ka’b to illustrate the concept.
According to the account cited in the sermon, Sayyadina Ubayy once asked Khalifa Umar bin Khattab whether he had ever walked along a thorny path. When Khalifa Umar bin Khattab answered in the affirmative, Sayyadina Ubayy asked how he navigated it. Khalifa Umar bin Khattab replied that he gathered his clothes and proceeded cautiously to avoid being pricked.
Sayyadina Ubayy then explained that this was the essence of Taqwa: being constantly mindful of one’s actions and carefully avoiding what displeases Allah.
Dr Goni Faruk Umar said Taqwa should not be limited to acts of worship but should also guide Muslims’ conduct in contemporary society, particularly in their use of digital platforms and social media, control of the tongue, and relationships within the family.
He urged worshippers to exercise restraint in their speech, act responsibly online and uphold their obligations to family members in accordance with Islamic teachings.
The cleric also highlighted the spiritual and worldly benefits of Taqwa, including relief from hardship, ease in personal affairs, forgiveness of sins and increased rewards in the hereafter.
Quoting verses from the Qur’an, he cited Allah’s promise in Surah At-Talaq, verses 2 and 3, that whoever fears Him will be granted a way out of difficulties and provided for from sources they could not have anticipated.
He also referred to Qur’an 65:4–5, which promises ease in affairs, the removal of sins and the multiplication of rewards for those who maintain Taqwa.
The scholar reminded Muslims that worldly life is temporary and that the hereafter is their permanent destination. He therefore urged them to regard Taqwa as the best provision for the journey beyond this life.
Citing Qur’an 2:197, he emphasised that the best provision for the hereafter is Taqwa, urging believers to remain conscious of their responsibilities to Allah.
The sermon also featured prayers and salutations upon Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family and companions, in accordance with the Qur’anic instruction in Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 56.
Dr Goni Faruk Umar concluded by encouraging Muslims to remain steadfast in faith, follow the guidance of the Prophet and make righteousness a guiding principle in their daily lives.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Political allies and loyalists of former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Arc Aminu Dabo, have begun resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State following his withdrawal from the ruling party.
KANO FOCUS reports that the supporters, operating under the political group Dabo Alheri Ne, reportedly include members across Kano State’s 44 local government areas.
Barely two days after Dabo announced his resignation from the APC, a prominent stakeholder of the group, Garba Zakiru Dambatta, said members had welcomed the decision and were showing solidarity by submitting their resignation letters to their respective ward party chairmen.
Dambatta, a former APC chairman in Dambatta Local Government Area, said the group’s members were disappointed with what they described as the prolonged marginalisation of Mr Dabo and his supporters within the party.
According to him, despite Mr Dabo’s contributions to the APC and efforts to strengthen the party and manage disagreements among its members, some key stakeholders had continued to sideline him and his loyalists in party activities.
Dambatta reaffirmed the group’s commitment to standing by Mr Dabo’s political decisions and supporting his future political journey.
He also urged the former NPA managing director not to succumb to political pressure or reverse his decision to leave the party.
“This step you have taken, we have the conviction that it is the beginning of a new chapter of goodness in your life,” Dambatta said.
Among the prominent members of the group identified as supporting Mr Dabo’s decision are Abba Rabee’u, a former Senior Special Assistant on Political Awareness; Almustapha Jilani Danmalam, a former Senior Special Assistant on Education; Jamilu Abdullahi Zangon-Mata, a former Senior Special Assistant on Entrepreneurship; and Fahd A. Dabo, a former Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation.
The individuals reportedly served during the second term of former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The group also said several other party loyalists and supporters were backing Dabo following his resignation.
However, the statement did not provide the number of members who had formally resigned from the APC or indicate whether the party leadership had responded to the development.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Five players of Kano Pillars Amputee Football Club have been invited to the national camp of Nigeria’s Special Super Eagles ahead of the 2026 Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.
KANO FOCUS reports that invited players are Isah Yusuf, Abba Musa, Habu Friday, Emanuel Betel and Usman Ahmed. They are currently in Abuja with the national team as preparations intensify for the global tournament.
The Team Manager of Kano Pillars Amputee Football Team, Jamilu Uba Adamu, disclosed this in an interview with Ashiru Rabiu Gidan Tudu, Information Officer of the Kano State Sports Commission.
Adamu described the invitation as recognition of the players’ dedication, discipline and outstanding performances.
He expressed confidence that the players would represent Kano State and Nigeria with honour at the championship.
According to him, the call-up also demonstrates Kano Pillars’ commitment to nurturing talented amputee footballers and contributing to the development of the sport in Nigeria.
The 2026 Amputee Football World Cup is scheduled to take place from November 13 to 22 in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico. A total of 24 countries, including seven African nations, are expected to participate.
The Executive Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, congratulated the five players on their invitation, describing it as well deserved.
Babangida expressed confidence that they would justify the confidence reposed in them by the national team selectors.
He assured the players of the commission’s continued support and urged them to remain focused, disciplined and committed to making Kano State and Nigeria proud on the international stage.
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