The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has initiated a formal investigation into an incident at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, involving the destruction of a Nigerian passport by a female traveller. The probe was confirmed in a statement released on Sunday by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveller destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos,” the statement read.
The video, which quickly gained traction across social media platforms, depicts a woman identified as Mrs. Igiebor, tearing her husband’s Nigerian passport shortly after their arrival at Lagos Airport on Saturday, 10th August 2024. When confronted about her actions in the footage, Igiebor responded defiantly, “Is it your passport?”
According to the NIS, such actions may constitute a violation of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which explicitly prohibits the willful destruction of Nigerian travel documents. The law prescribes specific penalties for such offences, raising the prospect of legal consequences for Igiebor.
The statement underscored the NIS’s commitment to enforcing the Immigration Act with strict adherence to safeguard national security and maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s legal and diplomatic documents.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains unwavering in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments,” the statement concluded.
As the investigation unfolds, the NIS’s firm stance signals a broader effort to ensure that violations of national laws, particularly those involving key legal documents, are met with appropriate responses, reflecting the seriousness with which such matters are regarded by the authorities.
