The Nigeria high commission in the United Kingdom imposed an extra “admin fee” on citizens to facilitate the ongoing Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) passport intervention, TheCable understands.

The passport intervention was launched to clear backlogs involving new passport applications, renewals and pending cases.

However, the exercise got off to a rocky start when applicants reported delays and other difficulties at the intervention centres across the UK after it began on Monday.Videos shared on social media showed crowds in Manchester and London left unattended to at the intervention centres.

Nigerian immigration authorities were also accused of demanding £70 from citizens in passport intervention “administrative fees” exclusive of the NIS official fees of $150 and $230 for a five-year and ten-year validity passport each.

The commission also imposed an admin fee of £150 for lost passports.