The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has initiated an investigation into the destruction of a Nigerian passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Kenneth Udo, the NIS Public Relations Officer, issued a statement on Sunday.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveler destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos,” the statement reads.
The incident, which was recorded on camera and extensively shared on social media, has stirred public interest.
It showed a female tourist, Mrs. Igiebor, tearing up her husband’s Nigerian Standard Passport immediately after they landed at Lagos Airport on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
When confronted with her behavior, an irate Igiebor said, “Is it your passport?”
The NIS stated that her acts may constitute a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which bans the purposeful destruction of Nigerian travel documents.
The act outlines specific penalties for such offenses.
The statement further emphasised the service’s dedication to enforcing the Immigration Act strictly, to safeguard national security and preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s legal and diplomatic instruments.
“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,” it added.
