The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has criticised the Nigeria High Commission in London over its choice of venues for the December 2025 Passport Intervention Exercise, alleging that all selected locations are churches owned by, affiliated with, or originally founded by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
In a statement released on Saturday, MPAC Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, said the organisation reviewed the High Commission’s announcement and found that each of the seven host cities will use a facility linked to RCCG — even where the churches no longer explicitly include “RCCG” in their names.
MPAC described the decision as “deeply troubling” and unsuitable for a religiously diverse diaspora community comprising Muslims, Christians from various denominations, and non-religious Nigerians. The group said the High Commission has a constitutional duty to remain religiously neutral when providing public services.
According to the organisation, the uniformity in venue selection “cannot be explained away as coincidence” and suggests a possible alignment—intentional or otherwise—between a government mission and a single religious denomination.
“This is unfair to Nigerians who may be uncomfortable entering a worship space of another faith in order to obtain a basic government service,” MPAC said.
The group called on the High Commission to replace the venues with neutral, non-religious locations such as civic centres, school halls, council buildings, or community centres. It also urged the Commission to adopt transparent venue-selection guidelines, broaden its engagement with Nigerian community groups in the UK, and clarify how the current list was chosen.
MPAC warned that any perception of religious bias in government activities could erode public trust and deepen divisions within the Nigerian diaspora. The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for fairness and inclusivity in public service delivery.
“National institutions must reflect the nation, not a denomination,” Kamor said.