Many Nigerians on social media have condemned the woman's action, called for an appropriate investigation into the matter and that the law take its course
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that it has commenced investigations into a viral video showing a female passenger who publicly tore her husband's passport upon their arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Saturday.
The service made this known in a statement issued Monday and posted on the official X handle by its spokesperson, Kenneth Udo.
"The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) 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 (MMIA), Lagos," the statement read.
The reaction of the NIS came about 48 hours after a video making the rounds on social media showed the woman pulling her three children away from her husband after she had destroyed his passport.
In the video, the husband appeared shocked and speechless as pieces of the torn passport littered the floor while passersby, including officials of the Nigerian Customs Services, looked on.
"Yes, I tore the passport, this is Nigeria," the woman was heard saying as she walked away with her children, leaving the husband behind.
On Monday, the NIS said the individual ( the woman) has been identified and invited for further investigation.
"If the allegations are substantiated, her actions would have constituted a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), with corresponding penalties outlined under Section 10(h) of the same Act," the statement said.
According to the act reviewed by this medium, it stipulates that anyone who "unlawfully alters, tampers with or mutilates any passport or any pages thereof, is liable to imprisonment for a term of 10 years or a fine of N2 million or both."
Similarly, anyone who "attempts, aids, abets, counsels, procures, connives or conspires with any other person to do any of the acts mentioned in this subsection. commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of ten years or a fine of Two Million Naira or both," section 10(h) of the act partly read.
On Monday, the NIS reiterated that it remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security and preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation's legal instruments.
Why I tore my husband's passport
In another video that has gone viral on social media, the woman narrated that she is aware that mutilating a Nigerian passport is against the law but that she did it because she does not want her husband to go back abroad.
"People are saying why will I tear his passport and that it is against Nigerian rules. I know that. What do I say; to Nigerian immigration? I am very sorry.But to be sincere, I did it for my husband not to go back because I have gone through pains that caused me heart pains today," she said.
She went further, saying her husband has made her go through pains that are causing her headaches.
"All my gender speaking, I pray you do not go through half of what I have passed through. Things have been going on for so many years. He( her husband ) got me an iPhone to pacify me but knew I had not forgotten it," she said.
Nigerians react
While many Nigerians on social media have condemned the woman's action against her husband, some have also called for an appropriate investigation into the matter.
Many have also alleged that the woman and her husband are skit makers who intend to use the incident to gain popularity on social media in Nigeria and grow their social media pages.
In her reaction on X, the FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said, "I strongly condemn the woman who tore her husband's passport in a video that has since gone viral. Regardless of what he may have done, destroying his passport won't change his actions or make him reconsider. As women, we should learn to control our emotions.🦜"
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"I will never support this kind of act... Where your husband is getting money to take care of you and your children, you Don't want him to go back, with no good reason," said another X user on Monday.
In another reaction, an X user said: "There's no justification for breaking the law!! If you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, use the exit point!!!!"
"Rubbish! You should have secured the services of a lawyer to deal with whatever your husband did. Moreover, I don't think anyone has compelled you to live with him. Additionally, waiting to do that in Nigeria shows how much you disrespect the laws of the land and how much you honour those in the country you arrived from. If you can endure 10 yr pain, then it is no longer pain by an act of wickedness. Did the man sleep with all the women in your lineage? Or did he use your hard-earned money to sponsor a lady through school?" the tweet read.
Yaya Oseni said: "It is clearly written on the passport that the passport is the property of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is issued to Nigerians on the president's behalf.. no One is authorised to tear valid passports.. Why has an arrest not been made?"
