Wife Faces Possible Jail Time for Destroying Husband’s Passport at Lagos Airport
Favour Igiebor, a Nigerian woman who recently tore up her husband’s passport at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, could face imprisonment if found guilty under the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Act of 2015, as amended.
On Monday, the NIS announced that it has launched an investigation into the incident, in which Igiebor was seen destroying a Nigerian passport in a widely circulated video. She has been summoned for questioning regarding the matter.
Kenneth Udo, the NIS spokesperson, labeled Igiebor’s actions as a breach of Nigerian law, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to enforcing the Immigration Act to uphold national security and the integrity of legal documents.
In the video, Igiebor explained that her actions were motivated by the stress caused by her husband. She stated, “You should understand the context before judging. I am not irrational; I had valid reasons for my actions. I chose to do it in Nigeria rather than Europe to avoid additional stress for my husband.”
In response, her husband, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed his desire to resolve the issue privately. He mentioned that he had evidence related to the incident and that he preferred to handle the matter within the family rather than through public commentary.
Under Section 49 of the NIS Act of 2015, altering or reproducing a passport without authorization is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of one million naira, or both. However, the Act does not explicitly address penalties for passport destruction.
