Abuja realtor Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac, also known as Bilkisu Ishaku Aliyu, who is facing trial over N500 million land fraud, came under investiga
Abuja realtor Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac, also known as Bilkisu Ishaku Aliyu, who is facing trial over N500 million land fraud, came under investigation on Thursday, September 10, over how she obtained a second Nigerian passport despite her original passport remaining in the custody of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The investigation followed reports that Ishaku obtained a fresh passport despite an earlier court order requiring her to surrender her original passport as part of her bail conditions in the land fraud and money laundering case.
However, records show that a second passport, numbered B51450551, was issued to her on February 15, 2025, while her original passport, B00485650, remained in court custody.
The development has raised questions about how the fresh passport was obtained and whether established procedures for passport issuance and biometric enrolment were followed.
Following the reports, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered a forensic investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the second passport.
The investigation, headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Magdalene Ajani, is expected to determine who authorized and processed the passport, how it was entered into the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) database and whether mandatory safeguards were followed.
A major focus of the investigation is an allegation that Ishaku may not have undergone the standard physical biometric enrolment required for the issuance of a Nigerian passport.
Her photograph and signature may have been digitally superimposed on existing records, rather than captured through the normal enrollment process.
The panel is therefore expected to examine the relevant biometric and database records and establish who accessed, created or altered the information connected to the second passport.
It will also determine whether any senior officials of the NIS were involved in authorising or facilitating the process and whether established standard operating procedures were bypassed.
The development has attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is examining relevant information and database records connected to the passport.
Several immigration officials have also been questioned as part of efforts to establish how the document was processed.
While the NIS has maintained that due process is being followed and that no immigration law was violated, the circumstances have prompted calls for an independent investigation into the matter.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has also called for the circumstances surrounding the passport issuance to be investigated.
The controversy has further triggered legal action.
Lawyers to the nominal complainant issued a 30-day pre-action notice to the NIS on Tuesday, September 8, demanding answers over the status and issuance of the second passport.
The notice was delivered to the Passport Headquarters Office of the Comptroller-General of Immigration in Abuja, with copies sent to the minister of interior, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Among other demands, the lawyers want the NIS to confirm whether passport B51450551 has been seized, cancelled or revoked.
They are also seeking confirmation of any Stop Order or Watchlist Flag placed on Ishaku and details of variations made to her biometric records.
The lawyers further want an audit of the NIS database to establish whether records connected to the second passport were compromised and have demanded that the findings be forwarded to the EFCC and the ministry of justice.
They warned that failure to address the demands within 30 days could lead to legal action before the Federal High Court in Abuja, including an application for an order of mandamus and claims for damages.
The controversy has placed renewed attention on Section 59 of the Immigration Act 2015, which deals with the fraudulent procurement or attempted procurement of Nigerian passports, including circumstances involving false representation.
At the centre of the unfolding investigation are questions over who authorised the second passport, how the document was processed, whether Ishaku underwent physical biometric capture, who accessed the relevant NIS database and why a fresh passport was issued while her original remained in court custody.
