The Nigeria Immigration Service has been reportedly arrested after a woman was seen tearing her husband’s Nigerian passport at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
The woman, identified as Mrs. Favour Igiebor, was filmed damaging the passport and later admitted to the act. Despite her confession, airport officials did not intervene and allowed her to leave the airport with her two children.
Mrs. Igiebor explained her actions in interviews, saying her decision was driven by ongoing issues in her marriage. “My husband controlled my social media accounts and other personal matters. This wasn’t an impulsive act; it was a response to years of distress,” she said.
An NIS spokesperson, Kenneth Udo, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday, August 11. He said, “The Comptroller General of Immigration, K.N. Nandap, has ordered Mrs. Igiebor to be summoned for further investigation.”
The NIS warned that if Mrs. Igiebor’s actions are confirmed, they would be a violation of the Immigration Act 2015. The law states that deliberately destroying a passport is a serious offence, as detailed in Section 10(b) of the Act.
The penalties for such offences, according to Section 10(h), can include fines, imprisonment, or both. The NIS emphasized its commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring national security.
