March 18, 2011

The Editor
The Punch,
1, Olu Aboderin Street,
Onipetesi, P.M.B 21204,
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.

LIBELOUS PUBLICATION

The attention of this Consulate-General has been drawn to a damaging, libelous, and ridiculous feature entitled, “Alleged Exploitation at Nigerian Embassy in the US” written by one Gbenga Adeniji and contained in your daily edition of Thursday, March 17, 2011. In this publication, you erroneously described the Nigerian legation in 8060 Roswell Road, Atlanta, Georgia USA as an Embassy, which we are not. You claimed that “the embassy oozes Nigeria”, that for those “who intend to process their travel documents”, our Mission sees “it as an opportunity to exploit them to the maximum”.
2. Furthermore, you stated that “like merchants the officials are accused of asking the applicants to purchase envelopes from the Embassy while a printout costs $5”. We have no grudge with your claim that “a Nigerian guy in another building” transacts whatever business he chooses with his fellow Nigerians at whatever cost suits his purpose. Perhaps, if your newspaper established since the 70s could be a bit painstaking, it would have seen the posting in the website of the Consulate-General of Nigeria, Atlanta Georgia, USA that this Mission has no office annex within or outside its premises and that whoever does business with such an outfit does so purely in his or her own interest.
3. It is sad and highly unedifying for your highly revered newspaper to engage in a campaign of calumny and disdain against an establishment without cross checking and double checking your facts. The conclusion of this your unfortunate article in which you “accused us of not processing forms according to given dates and not giving directions on where to put the forms’” is the greatest height of yellow journalism. It is instructive for you to tarry awhile and weigh the consequences of your libelous publication in an era in which several government agencies may be looking for scapegoats in an environment where innocent civil servants bear the brunt of sensational reportage like this publication which is grossly inaccurate and false in its entirety.
4. The wish is yours, Editor, if you would choose the path of honor to verify your facts before going to press and in this case, published an inaccurate rejoinder to exculpate us of your libel and damaging unnecessary exposure to public ridicule and contempt. Let it be known to you that apart from our disclaimer on our website of any underhand dealings, the United States of America is a law and order society which does not practice business as usual. Anyone, be it Nigerian or of any other nationality is not a sacred cow when it comes to unfair business practices but please dissociate this Consulate-General from collusion with anyone wherever to defraud anyone.
5. As civil servants, we may be incapacitated to institute a libel suit against you but your conscience shall be your judge and you will meet your match in your avowed destructive mission if this is your objective.

6. Best regards.

CONSULATE-GENERAL OF NIGERIA,
ATLANTA,GEORGIA, USA.
MARCH 18,2011

It has come to the notice of this Consulate-General and as has been noticed by fellow nationals that the previous online mode of payment for new e-Passports has been suspended. The new method observed is that Money Orders would substitute for the online payment via credit card of US$65.00 and such money order would be addressed and mailed to SW Global LLC, 50 Albany Turnpike, Canton, CT 06019.

This organization would in turn post a payment confirmation advice to the applicant’s e-mail address provided in the transaction, the applicant would download this confirmation with other e-Passport forms filled online and present himself/herself to the Consulate-General in Atlanta for Biometric Data Capturing pursuant to the issuance of an e-Passport. For purposes of clarity, the only change in the e-Passport issuance procedure is the method of payment of the US$65.00 e-Passport application fee, while all other processes involved in the issuance of these passports remain unchanged.

Fellow nationals are advised to adhere strictly to this new payment method of the US$65.00 as no other method of payment shall be accepted. If this procedure is disregarded, the application form procedure shall be impeded and inchoate. However, this change does not affect the US$30.00 administrative charges in Money Order payable to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Atlanta. It is strictly advised that the Money Order shall as usual accompany the submission of application form and appearance at the Consulate-General for completion of the application procedure.

It is assumed that the circumstances that led to this new method shall be addressed in due course and a less cumbersome and less tedious mode of payment shall be re-introduced.

Consulate-General of Nigeria,

Atlanta, Georgia

03/17/2011