By Benson Daniel
The Nigeria Immigration Service has moved its special passport intervention exercise in London to a new location after applicants attending the programme were reportedly asked to leave the original venue.
The London intervention centre has now been relocated from Liyali Lounge to 56 to 57 Fleet Street, Temple, London, EC4Y 1JU, with applicants directed to keep their existing appointment times.
The Nigeria High Commission in London announced the change in a notice to applicants, attributing the relocation to unforeseen technical challenges at the original venue.
The development followed reports that Nigerians who arrived at Liyali Lounge for passport processing were asked to leave the facility amid allegations of a dispute involving the use of the venue.
The allegations surrounding the circumstances of the eviction, including claims of unpaid charges, have not been independently established. The official notice did not cite a payment dispute and instead referred to technical challenges as the reason for the change.
The passport intervention exercise is part of a special programme designed to help Nigerians living in the United Kingdom obtain new passports, renew existing documents and resolve pending applications without having to wait through regular processing channels.
The intervention was initially scheduled to take place in London and Manchester before moving to Aberdeen and Cardiff later in September.
Following the latest change, the London exercise will now be conducted at the Fleet Street location.
Applicants have been advised to attend at their previously booked times rather than seeking new appointments as a result of the venue change.
Those attending are required to bring their passport application form, payment receipt, appointment slip and old passport booklet where applicable.
Applicants are also expected to provide the required postal arrangements for the return of their processed passports.
The intervention team was deployed to the United Kingdom to help address passport application backlogs and improve access to immigration services for Nigerians in the diaspora.
The relocation in London comes after complaints and concerns surrounding the organisation of the special intervention exercise, including reports of delays and difficulties experienced by some applicants at intervention centres.
The Immigration Service has continued to encourage applicants to make use of its established digital passport channels, which remain operational alongside the physical intervention exercise.
The London intervention is expected to continue at the new Fleet Street location, while the exercises in Manchester, Aberdeen and Cardiff will proceed according to their respective schedules.
The latest development has nevertheless raised fresh concerns among some Nigerians in the United Kingdom about the planning and coordination of special passport interventions, particularly where large numbers of applicants are expected to attend within limited periods.
Authorities are expected to ensure that the new venue is adequately prepared to prevent further disruption and allow applicants to complete their biometric enrolment and passport related processes as scheduled.
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