Nigerian Woman Who Destroyed Husband’s Passport At Airport Risk Jail Term
A Nigerian woman, Favour Igiebor, may face legal consequences after tearing up her husband’s passport at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) confirmed that it had launched an investigation into the incident and summoned Igiebor for questioning.
The incident came to light after a video showing Igiebor destroying the passport, which reportedly belonged to her husband, went viral on social media. The NIS spokesperson, Kenneth Udo, stated that her actions were a violation of Nigerian law under the Nigeria Immigration Service Act of 2015 (as amended).
“The Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media showing a female traveller destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos,” the NIS statement read. The statement further emphasized the NIS’s commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act and preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.
Igiebor defended her actions in a separate video, explaining that she had been under significant stress due to her husband’s treatment of her. “I am not a mad woman who would just come and act like that. I have my reasons; I have gone through many things,” she said, adding that she waited until they were in Nigeria to destroy the passport rather than doing it in Europe.
Her husband, who remained unnamed, responded by suggesting that the issue should be resolved privately within the family. He revealed that he had a full video of the incident and expressed disappointment that his wife had chosen to address the matter publicly.
Legal experts have weighed in on the case, noting that while the Nigeria Immigration Service Act of 2015 specifies penalties for altering or reproducing a passport, it does not explicitly address the destruction of a passport.
According to Section 49 of the Act, altering or assisting in the alteration of a travel document can result in up to five years in prison, a fine of one million naira, or both. However, there is no specific provision for the destruction of a passport.
Human rights lawyer Collins Aigbogun pointed out that although the Act does not explicitly punish passport destruction, Igiebor’s actions could be seen as a violation of her husband’s constitutional right to freedom of movement. “A passport is essential for cross-border travel. Possessing a Nigerian passport is not a privilege but a fundamental aspect of the right to freedom of movement,” Aigbogun explained.
The investigation is ongoing, and the legal implications of Igiebor’s actions remain to be seen.
