Prophet Elijah demands govt’s intervention over ‘passport seizure, discrimination’ by French Embassy

A concerned Nigerian, Prophet David Kingsley Elijah, has issued an urgent call for government intervention over the alleged unlawful retention of Nigerian passports and unfair visa processing by the French Embassy in Lagos.

In a statement sent to PM News on Monday, Prophet Elijah decried what he described as hostile, unprofessional, and discriminatory treatment meted out to Nigerian applicants by the French consular services.

According to him, many Nigerians, including business professionals, students, and families, have had their international passports held by the embassy for over two months without any updates or final decisions on their visa applications.

He argued that the prolonged retention of Nigerian passports infringes on citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of movement, stressing that a passport remains the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and should not be indefinitely seized by a foreign mission.

The statement further highlighted the economic implications of the alleged bottlenecks, noting that the delays and high visa refusal rates are hurting trade relations and discouraging Nigerian investors from engaging with French markets.

Prophet Elijah urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Immigration Service to urgently take diplomatic action, enforce reciprocity measures, and protect the rights of Nigerian passport holders.

He emphasised that Nigeria, as a major economy and key trading partner to France in Africa, deserves fair and dignified treatment for its citizens.

He promised to continue monitoring the situation and advocating for affected Nigerians until the matter is resolved.

This development comes amid growing complaints from Nigerians about visa processing challenges at several foreign embassies in the country.