Ogbudu had said some of the applicants claimed they were no longer in need of the document, while others might have traveled with other documents and had simply abandoned it.
The passport control officer of the service in the Calabar told newsmen on Monday that they devised ways to encourage the applicants to come and claim their documents.
She said following their new strategies, applicants of the Nigerian international passports were now rushing to claim the travel document which they had abandoned since 2018.
“Many applicants are now coming forward to claim their abandoned passports which they applied for since 2018.
“So far, 281 of such applicants have come to collect their passports, this is because we have devised ways to encourage them to come up for their documents including calling them.
“We have reached out to many of the applicants using a dedicated telephone line and many have positively responded.
“This have reduced the number of uncollected passports in our custody, we also urge others whose passports are yet to be collected to come forward and claim theirs,” she said
AON
