The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a probe into an incident involving the destruction of a Nigerian passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The passport destruction incident happened on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at MMIA when one Mrs. Igiebor was captured on video tearing the international passport of her husband shortly after their arrival in Nigeria.
The statement issued on Sunday by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo reads in part, “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 incident has been widely shared across social media platforms and has also sparked significant public and official concern.
The NIS stated that her actions violates Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which prohibits the willful destruction of Nigerian travel documents and also outlines certain penalties for such violations under Section 10 (h) of the same Act.
Udo added, “Nigeria Immigration Service remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserve the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.”