Interior Minister Orders Seizure Of Passports From Former Nigerian Citizens

According to Ireporter Online, the Federal Government has directed the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of Nigerian passports held by individuals who have formally renounced their citizenship.

The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service to enforce the order without delay. The announcement was contained in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde.

The policy applies to persons whose renunciation of Nigerian citizenship has already been approved by the President. Authorities explained that the measure is grounded in constitutional provisions governing citizenship, particularly Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates the legal process for renunciation and states that citizenship ceases upon presidential registration of such declarations.

Government officials maintained that the withdrawal of passports is necessary to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s sovereign travel documents. The Minister emphasized that once citizenship is terminated, the right to hold a Nigerian passport automatically lapses.

Quoting the constitutional provision, the Ministry noted that any citizen who formally renounces citizenship must submit a declaration, which becomes effective once registered by the President, after which the individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen.

Tunji-Ojo further stated that the directive aligns with ongoing reforms in passport and visa administration aimed at strengthening border security, improving identity management systems, and preventing fraud and unauthorized access to Nigerian travel documents.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing national security, saying efforts would continue to ensure the protection of the country’s borders and the integrity of its citizenship system.