The Nigeria Immigration Service 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,” according to a statement.
The incident, which was captured on camera and widely shared on social media, has stirred public alarm.
It showed a female tourist, Mrs. Igiebor, tearing up her husband’s Nigerian Standard Passport immediately after they arrived at Lagos Airport on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
When confronted with her behaviour, an irate Igiebor responded, “Is it your passport?”
The NIS stated that her acts may constitute a violation of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which bans the wilful destruction of Nigerian travel papers.
The act imposes particular sanctions for such offences.
The statement reiterated the service’s commitment to strictly enforcing the Immigration Act in order to protect national security and maintain 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,” a statement said.