Media entrepreneur and social activist, Philip Thomas, who is popularly known as Comrade Phils was ordered out of the Nigerian Immigration office in Port Harcourt, Friday, for refusing to pay a bribe to renew his International passport.
In a video posted on his Facebook
wall, the activist lamented the treatment meted to him by the
immigration officers after he stood his ground against corruption.
According
to him, he was asked to pay the sum of N28,000 if he would wait for
three weeks to collect the passport or pay N35,000 to collect it in one
week, against the official fee of N17,000 stipulated by the government.
The
activist who is known for his popular campaign against corruption stood
his ground and refused to pay more than what was stipulated by the
government. His stand angered the corrupt officers who ordered him out
and attempted to seize his mobile phone when they noticed he was
recording the incident.
Many social media users have reacted to
the video with some affirming that they paid the same inflated amount to
renew their own passports.
“I’m not surprised at all, even the
Nigeria embassies in the USA are confidently asking citizens to pay
illegal fees to have their passports renewed. Shameful!!” wrote Iyke
Chikere, a Nigerian in the Diaspora.
” I renewed mine last week and
have collected it, but I paid 28k, same Port Harcourt immigration. I
didn’t know that 17k is the official price. Corruption and impunity is
on the increase in this country. Even their OGA at the top is aware,
maybe that’s why the officers are very bold to collect the extra money
on top.” wrote Chukwudike Tante, another victim of the corruption going
on in the Nigerian Immigration.
WIRED Nigeria’s query to the Nigerian Immigration Service on the matter is yet to be responded to.
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