Social media users have raised suspicions that the couple involved in a widely circulated video, in which a woman, Mrs Favour Igiebor, was seen tearing her husband's Standard Passport at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Saturday, might be skit makers looking for massive online engagement on their social media page.
The viral video, which has gained significant attention online, shows Mrs. Favour Igiebor tearing her husband's passport, with the torn pieces of the document scattered on the floor at the MMIA. When confronted by one of the officials at the facility, she defiantly responded in Pidgin English, "I tore it. Is it yours?" She was later seen walking away with her children, leaving her husband standing by with a baby in a stroller. The incident sparked widespread reactions, with many netizens now doubting the authenticity of the scene after the couple separately took turns to address the situation.
In their separate video messages to address the incident on social media, both were unable to explain any reason for the woman's action, leaving netizens more confused.
LEADERSHIP reports that Mrs. Igiebor earlier released a video defending her actions and criticising bloggers, including Tunde Ednut and Instablog, for jumping into conclusions. "I'm not a mad woman who would just come and act like that," she stated. "I have my reasons. I've gone through so many things. So many of you are just commenting on the video; friends and people who I haven't spoken with for years are now calling me. I am not like that."
For instance, Mr. Igiebor, the husband in the viral video, while responding by sharing his own side of the story, engaged in what looks like advertising their social media page rather than clearing the air. He claimed that his wife had gained unauthorised access to his social media account and posted a video message earlier in the day. "My wife posted something; I know she has gone far because she is very smart. She has gone far to get the password of this page, and she posted something this morning," he said.
Mr. Igiebor urged the public to watch the complete video for a fuller understanding of the incident, noting that the situation had attracted attention from both local and international media. "Go and watch the video; I have the full clip. You'll see something. She did not know that I gave somebody my phone," he explained. He emphasized that the issue could be resolved within the family, but his wife seemed intent on escalating it. "This is something that we can solve as a family, but she is trying to push it up. No problem, I'm following her, and I will tackle it, and she will get tired," he concluded.
Several social media users have speculated that the couple might be engaging in a publicity stunt, especially since neither party has provided a clear explanation for the incident, noting that skit making was already a part of them as they are already content creators.
One user, @princeencore, commented, "I believe that passport is an old passport; they have done the renewal. These are just content. Content is the new oil. They are mining."
Another user, @UgoOnyinye, expressed skepticism, saying, "I can now conclude that this is a clout-chasing, click-baiting venture. Madam did over 12 mins video and said absolutely nothing, now oga did his own, said nothing other than pointing to their YouTube channel. If this was really serious, we would know by now."
Adding to the doubts, @IamOge_Fay observed, "After watching the videos, both the one from the wife and the one from the husband, I can only say that they are drawing attention to their page. See their luggage naa, this is a case of relocation from abroad. They want to start their own family content with gbasgbos 😂."
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Also, an ardent follower of LEADERSHIP News, Boboye Onduku, challenged the team to dig deeper, saying: "Bottom line: there are allegations that the couple are skit makers...and that needs to be verified alongside this to give out something different to the readers of LEADERSHIP."
But, in response to the incident on Sunday, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) launched a formal investigation. The NIS confirmed that Mrs. Igiebor had been identified and invited for questioning over the incident. "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 NIS stated.
