The Nigeria Immigration Service has announced an upward review of the cost of obtaining the Nigerian Standard Passport, effective September 1, 2025.

According to a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, ACI AS Akinlabi, on Thursday, the new fees will apply only to applications made within Nigeria.

“The review which only affect Passport Application fees made in Nigeria, now set a new fee thresholds for 32-page with 5-year validity at N100,000 and 64-page with 10-year validity at N200,000,” the statement read.

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However, the statement clarified that application fees for Nigerians in the diaspora remain unchanged at $150 for the 32-page, five-year passport and $230 for the 64-page, 10-year passport.

The service said the adjustment was aimed at maintaining the quality and integrity of the Nigerian passport while ensuring accessibility for citizens.

More details soon..

The management of Fidken Multi Services Ltd., has called on the Attorney-General and Minister Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to intervene on alleged judicial manipulation and connivance in a case between the firm and Togo Oil & Marine Ltd, also known as TOM, owneriof Vessel MV MONTY J & ANOR.

Fidken Multi Services Ltd. also called on the Chief of Naval Staff,
Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, and Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, to investigate and bring to justice their men who allegedly aided the escape of the vessel owned by a foreign firms despite a restraining order from the Court of Appeal Lagos.

The Managing Director, Fidken Multi Services Ltd., Engr. Kennedy Fidelis, made the call on Wednesday in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta State.

According to him, his company, Fidken Multi Services hired the vessel for a period of Six (6) Months with a renewable agreement but unfortunately the vessel broke down after two weeks of delivery to Nigeria from Lome, Togo.

He named Socemet as Ship Brokers, that is, the company that connected his company with the ship owners.

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He noted that, rather than the owner-company to take up the responsibility of repairs as per contract agreement, TOM sent representatives to plead with the management of Fidken Multi Services Ltd to assist in fixing the vessel.

He said TOM, m during the plea, said that the company was bankrupt to foot the bill of the repair, just as the company promised to make a refund of any amount spent on the repair or make deduction during execution of the contract.

The MD added that, the promise of refund or deduction during execution of the contract prompted his company to show concern and consequently took full responsibility of the repair.

According to him the breakdown of the vessel was already causing a lot of down time and draw back to his business.

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He lamented that, however, immediately after the repair, the management of TOM first attempt was to put up the vessel for sale without his knowledge or any of his management staff.

Engr. Fidelis said this single act by TOM to sell out the vessel he repaired when it was down without his knowledge was a complete breach of the existing contract.

According to him, after several attempts to take away the vessel from him, they finally escaped with the vessel back to Lome, Togo, in spite of a restraining order by the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/LAG/CV/991/2024.

He narrated: “We approached the court to demand a full Bank guarantee of USD380,729.00 ,USD 1.080,000.00 and USD 659,555.00 to cover our total claims as pre Bond condition ordered by Appeal Court should they go away with the vessel. But surprisingly, the Federal High Court in its judgement awarded the Sum of USD380,729.00 only as a guarantee for the release of the vessel. This sum can only cater for a part of the expenses we have incurred in maintaining the vessel, so we approached the Court of Appeal, and a restraining order was immediately placed on the release of the vessel.

“But this foreign company, in connivance with security agents jettisoned the order and moved the vessel out of the country.

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“The judgment by the Federal High Court, was a surprise to us. We couldn’t believe that in spite of the evidence our legal team presented, the presiding judge could give such a judgement. And this is why we are calling on the Attorney-General to investigate this. Also, some security agents aided this company to escape with the vessel.”

Corroborating this, Comrade Omentan Parson, a human rights activist who said he has been following up the case since inception, said this was the fifth time the company attempted to escape with the vessel, lamenting that they eventually succeeded.

He alleged that this same foreign company, in order to escape with the vessel, used Nigerian security personnel to kidnap the security man in charge of the vessel, saying this matter of kidnap is about to be filed in the court too.

“It’s quite unfortunate that Nigerian security agents whose monthly pay is from tax payers (Nigerians) could be used by a foreign company against fellow Nigerians. This is very bad. They (security agents) aided every step of the vessel in making sure it escape from this country.

“I was by the Jetty in Port Harcourt where I saw security agents supervise the bunkering the vessel and provide an escort Gunboat with personnel in making sure she left the shores of Nigeria.”

Calls put across to the foreign contact of the Managing Director of TOM, Mrs Jessica Jones, by our correspondent did not connect neither did she reply to the SMS sent to her cellphone.

Former Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has been summoned to the Federal Capital Territory Magistrate Court over alleged failure to pay his mandatory Personal Income Tax for 2023 and 2024.

The summons dated August 21, 2025, also included that an underpayment of taxes in 2020, 2021, and 2022 owed by Melaye requires him to appear before the Magistrate Court at Wuse Zone II, Abuja, on September 5, 2025.

According to the FCT Internal Revenue Service, Melaye only paid N85,000.08 in 2019, N100,000.08 in 2020, N120,000 in 2021, and N1,000,000 in 2022, despite declaring much higher annual incomes.

It revealed that, for instance, in 2022, he declared an annual income of over N6.5 million.

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It was revealed that an administrative assessment for 2023 and 2024 was issued on May 23, 2025, but when Melaye failed to respond within 30 days, a notice of best judgment assessment was issued on June 23, 2025.

The notice outlined that Melaye’s total tax liabilities for 2023 and 2024 were assessed at N234,896,000.00 and N274,712,000.00, respectively.

The notice read, “Despite reminders and ample time provided, your non-compliance with Section 41 of the Act constitutes a breach of your obligations.

“Consequently, the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has, in accordance with Section 54(3) of the Personal Income Tax Act, proceeded to raise a Best of Judgment Assessment in respect of your tax liabilities for the years under review.

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“Accordingly, your tax liability has been assessed in the sum of N234,896,000.00 and N274,712,000.00 for the period of 2023 and 2024, respectively. The computation and assessment are attached for your action.

“Please note that the Service has also identified income under declaration and under payment for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 years of assessment, during which payment of N1,000,000.00, N120,000.00 and N100,000.00 were made respectively. Notices of additional will be issued upon the conclusion of our review.

“Your are hereby informed that you have the right to object to this assessment within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of this notice. Any objection must clearly state the grounds of your objection and be substantiated with relevant supporting documents.

“Failure to make payment or file objection within the stipulated period will result in the assessment being deemed final and conclusive, and recovery proceedings will be initiated without further notice,” the FCT-IRS said.