An incident involving the destruction of a Nigerian passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos is currently under investigation by the Nigeria Immigration Service.
A statement issued on Sunday by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo, confirmed the initiation of a formal probe.
According to the statement, “The Nigeria Immigration Service has initiated an official investigation in response to a video circulating on social media, depicting a female traveler destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.”
The widespread circulation of the video capturing the incident on social media has raised public concerns.
The video shows Mrs. Igiebor, a female traveler, tearing her husband’s Nigerian Standard Passport shortly after their arrival at Lagos Airport on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
During the footage, an upset Igiebor, in response to inquiries about her actions, defiantly asks, “Is it your passport?”
The NIS has pointed out that her actions may potentially violate Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which expressly prohibits the deliberate destruction of Nigerian travel documents.
The act specifies specific consequences for such transgressions.
In addition, the statement underscores the service’s dedicated commitment to stringently enforcing the Immigration Act to protect national security and uphold Nigeria’s legal and diplomatic foundations.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains resolute in its pledge to uphold the provisions of the Immigration Act for the security interests of the nation and the preservation of the respect and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments,” it further stated.