Nigerians in Diaspora have decried the unavailability of passport booklets in missions abroad, saying the situation is a threat to their stay and livelihood in their host countries.

Disclosing this on Friday at a rally in Germany, the Nigerians in Diaspora Network (NDN), called on the federal government to urgently address the problem.

The NDU chairman, Victor Ojeabulu, said the predicament, if not urgently addressed would create more hardship for Nigerians and even put them at risk of deportation.

“We are here today to make a special appeal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We want to let him know the predicament in which our people are going through here in Germany.

“For some months, our people have not been able to obtain their Nigerian passport and a lot are going through hell; those working need to renew their passport for them to continue work,” he said.

He said that women, in particular, were finding it difficult to get passports for their children.

“I do not see any reason why our people should be going through all that, it is not responsible for our people to go through all these,” Mr Ojeabulu said.

Also speaking, Odijie Irabor, General Coordinator, NDN, said sometimes they travel as far as neighbouring countries in Europe to get their passports issued or renewed.

However, he said that option too is now an issue, that passport scarcity has hit all countries in Europe.

“Today we are on a distress call on the Nigerian government to urgently address international passport dilemma in Diaspora.

“The sad story is that we book appointments for Nigerian international passport with Nigeria embassies; we travel unimaginable distance sometimes across international borders to pay and be captured for the passport.

“Thereafter, we are made to wait indefinitely on the ground that booklets are not available.

“Most times this happens when Nigerians needs this international passport urgently to renew their residency or embark on crucial documentation procedures in their respective countries.

“You can imagine how it sounds to return to your host government authority with a frivolous excuse why we cannot present our international passport on-demand,” Mr Odijie said.

He urged the Nigerian government to look into the issue and investigate the artificial scarcity of the document by its staff for personal gains.

(NAN)