Mariam Sanni
A Civil Society Organization, known as the Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse & Torture, INAHURAT, has called on the Minister of Interior, Nigerian Immigration Service to track, arrest, and prosecute all the state actors who aided the bypass of national security databases to issue a second passport to an active suspect who is standing trail.
The lawyer to INAHURAT, Barrister Maxwell Opara, who made the call at a press briefing in Abuja, explained that the suspect, Rebeca Godwin-Issac awaiting trial for an ongoing fraud case obtained a brand-new international passport from the NIS, circumventing the legal restrictions placed on her movement.
He noted that the suspect’s original passport (No. B00485650) was securely locked in the EFCC vault to prevent flight risk, yet the NIS successfully issued her a new one (No. B51450551).
TThe CSO lawyer demanded for an immediate investigation and prosecution of all immigration officers and accomplices responsible for compromising the system and issuing the unauthorized passport
He urged the Minister of Interior to immediately launch a forensic audit of NIS records relating to the issuance of the passport and identify any officials involved.
The group also called for a joint investigation by the EFCC and NIS into the alleged issuance of the second passport and requested criminal proceedings against any officials found culpable.
Furthermore, INAHURAT urged prosecutors to seek a revocation of the defendant’s bail, arguing that the alleged procurement and use of a second passport constituted a breach of bail conditions and an attempt to undermine the authority of the court.
He also demanded on EFCC to immediately enforce an interim forfeiture order of the court in property dispute involving a real estate developer, Mrs Rebecca Godwin-Isaac.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja had granted the EFCC’s application for an order of interim forfeiture against the properties located at Guzape and Katampe Districts, Abuja in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/151/2026.
The temporary order was granted pending the hearing and determination of the criminal charge also before Justice Abdulmalik and filed against the developer by the EFCC over alleged land fraud.
Opara, however, alleged that despite the order and pendency of investigations on the properties, the subject property at Plot 4022, Guzape District. Abuja, had continued to be developed in gross violation of extant laws.
He urged the commission to enforce the interim order to boost the confidence of the nominal complainant and an octogenarian widow, Mrs Colleen Mero Yesufu, in the judicial process.
“The EFCC chairman does not have option than to comply with the order of court. When an order is made, you don’t choose which one to obey and not to obey.
“Therefore, we are calling on the EFCC chairman to do the needful to preserve the res (subject matter) and prevent further dissipation of an asset already subject of judicial restraint,” he said.
