The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has officially revealed that Nwamini David Ukpo, the young Nigerian at the centre of the ‘organ donor’ scandal is 21 years old.
The announcement was made on Sunday, 4 days after the news of the scandal hit the air waves.
The scandal led to the arrest of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice in the UK.
The disclosure of Nwamini’s age was made by the Comptroller General of NIS, Isa Jere following the controversy surrounding Ukpo’s age with some reports claiming he is 15, his younger brother saying he is actually 25.
However, during a chat with some editors, the NIS boss stated that the date of birth on documents submitted for verification is 12-10-2000 which also tallies with the National Population Commission (NPC) birth certificate record, his National Identity Number (NIN) details as well as the letter of indigeneship submitted by the applicant.
He said that due diligence was followed in screening the submitted documents before the passport was approved and issued.
Jere added that the service was not involved in any age falsification or other shady deals regarding the ongoing saga.
In his words, “The attention of the Service has been drawn to the trending issue in connection with an alleged case of age falsification on a Nigerian Standard Passport issued by Nigeria Immigration Service to a Nigerian who is alleged to be at the centre of an investigation of the case of “organ harvesting”.
“The Service wishes to set the record straight by informing the general public that the suggestions that it did not properly vet the breeder documents issued by the applicant during his passport application are not only off the mark, but mere fabrications aimed at tarnishing the image of the Service.
“The facts of the matter concerning the case above, therefore, are that the said Mr. David Ukpo Nwamina applied and paid for the enhanced standard passport using the NIS portal after which he approached the Gwagwalada Passport Office, FCT Abuja, on the 2nd November, 2021 for his interview. To support his application, Mr. Nwamina presented all the necessary documents required, including his National Population Commission (NPC) issued Birth Certificate, showing 12 October, 2000, as his date of birth; his National Identity Number (NIN) corroborating the date of birth on his birth certificate, issued by NIMC; a letter of introduction issued by Ebonyi State Government Liaison Office situated at Maitama District Abuja, and a Guarantor’s form duly signed by one Mr. Uchechukwu Chukwuma Ogbonno.
“In view of the above, the general public may wish to be informed that the date of birth, or any other information for that matter, on any Nigerian passport is printed on the document only after a thorough vetting process that involves both physical and forensic examination of the applicant’s breeder documents. Mr. Nwamina’s case, therefore, was not different.
“While assuring of the Service’s commitment towards protecting the integrity of the passport, the Service wishes to seize this opportunity to appeal to the general public to desist from making such unfounded utterances as they are capable of denting the image of the Service.