ONILU, NIGERIANS FLAY LADY OVER DESTRUCTION OF INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT ..... Describe Action As Affront Against Nigeria's Laws

Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu
Director General, NOA

“The International passport issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service is the property of the Federal Government and no person who has the privilege of owning one should abuse or even damage them under whatever guise. What the lady has done is a grievous assault to our collective asset and dent on the symbol of our identity as a nation.” Issa-Onilu

"The passport is one the core national symbols that are enshrined in the nation’s ordinance as patriotic icon representing countries for which its derives its identity especially among nations."

The decision by a Nigerian woman to publicly tear a copy of the Nigeria International Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, has attracted huge condemnation from a large section of the citizenry.

The action of the lady, identified as Favour Igiebor (Mrs) is said to constitute an affront against the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Director General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement issued and signed by Paul Odenyi, Deputy Director, Press of the National Orientation Agency, said that "in furtherance of NOA national identity project campaign, especially as it relates to the National symbols, the Agency will support moves by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to investigate and prosecute such breach in line with section 10 (B) of the Immigration Act, 2015 as a deterrence to those who may willfully damage an important national symbol as the International Passport."

“The International passport issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service is the property of the Federal Government and no person who has the privilege of owning one should abuse or even damage them under whatever guise. What the lady has done is a grievous assault to our collective asset and dent on the symbol of our identity as a nation.” 

The International Passport torn by Mrs. Favour Igiebor is said to belongs to her husband. 

The DG of NOA, Mallam Issa-Onilu in the statement, appealed to citizens to continue to show respect for the National Symbols as part of our patriotic commitment to national development saying the NOA as the custodian of these symbols will continue to promote their use and integrity. 

He however stressed that the incident calls for increased public enlightenment and awareness campaigns by all Nigerians on the National Symbols and the importance of it in the country.

"The passport is one the core national symbols that are enshrined in the nation’s ordinance as patriotic icon representing countries for which its derives its identity especially among nations." He said.