By Aguok Chok and Emmanuel Mandella

The Director General of the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration (DCRNPI), Maj. Gen. Elia Kosta Faustino has banned officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) from processing passport or nationality documents on behalf of citizens.

In the directive dated July 22, 2025, Maj. Gen. Faustino expressed deep concerns over the increasing cases of malpractice committed by some officers within the department.

According to the circular, these officers have abandoned their official duties and instead engage in unauthorized activities, including using National Identity Cards (NCs) to process passport documents for others in exchange for personal financial gain.

“It has been observed with great dismay that some DCRNPI officers and NCOs have abandoned their sworn duties and thus resorted to processing passports on behalf of citizens with unimaginable malpractices, for instance, using NC fees to process passports with the aim of reserving some amount for personal use,” Maj. Gen. Faustino wrote.

As a corrective measure, the standing order clearly states:

“From today henceforth, NO officer or NCO is allowed to process any document, whether Passport or Nationality on behalf of the citizen.”

According to him, the directive was meant to protect citizens from fraud and ensure that all services are rendered transparently and fairly.

Gen. Faustino encouraged citizens to handle their documentation personally and directly engage with the relevant offices.

This, he noted, will reduce the chances of being conned by middlemen or dishonest officers.

“Citizens are strongly encouraged to process the required documents personally. This is for the interest of the citizens and of the directorate in order to avoid fraud and disappointment from the middleman,” he said.

To ensure compliance, the Protection and Surveillance Unit (PSU) of the DCRNPI has been directed to enforce the order without delay.

All departments and units are required to disseminate the information to their officers and personnel to ensure complete awareness and adherence.

The directorate pledged to take disciplinary measures against any of