A Nigerian man whose passport was allegedly torn by his wife at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos has clarified that the incident captured on camera was a skit.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had earlier initiated a formal probe into the incident.
The immigration service in a press statement issued on Sunday said the woman had been identified as Mrs. Favour Igiebor, holding passport number A11990869.
In the viral video, the irate woman unapologetically confessed to destroying her husband’s passport.
After boldly confessing to the act, the woman took their two children with her and abandoned her husband, who seemed shocked and left speechless by the sudden turn of events.
The viral video showed NIS personnel present during the incident, yet failing to intervene. Despite the woman’s open admission, proudly declaring “na me tear am” (I’m the one who tore it), she was permitted to depart the airport without being detained or facing any consequences.
NIS officials consoled the husband, urging him to remain calm and composed, and surprisingly advised him to respond with silence, implying that as a man, he should quietly endure the humiliation without speaking out.
However, the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act clearly prohibits the destruction or tampering of a Nigerian passport, as evident in the viral video. Specifically, Section 1, Subsection 1, categorises the following actions as criminal offences: Unlawfully altering, tampering with, or mutilating a passport or any of its pages and attempting, aiding, abetting, counselling, procuring, or conspiring with others to commit such offences.
Furthermore, Section 2 of the Act stipulates that individuals found guilty of these offences (paragraphs B to I of subsection 1) shall face imprisonment for up to one year upon conviction.
Similarly, Section 451 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria says, “Any person who wilfully and unlawfully destroys or damages any property, is guilty of an offence, which, unless otherwise stated, is a misdemeanour and he is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for two years.”
Furthermore, the passport is considered a property of the Nigerian state, and any intentional damage or mutilation is also punishable under the aforementioned law, emphasising the severity of the offence.
Subsection 7 of the Criminal Code Act also states: “If the property in question is a document which is deposited or kept in a public office, or which is evidence of title to any land or estate in land, the offender is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.”
However, in a video uploaded on his family TikTok page – Jejola Family TV – the man explained that his wife did not destroy his passport, but rather a copy used for the skit.
He implored bloggers and media outlets to stop vilifying his wife, stating that his real passport is intact and has been verified by immigration authorities.
The couple apologised to the NIS for any confusion caused and assured that they respect the laws of the country.
He said, “I’m here with my case to send a message of appeal to the public of Nigeria. What my wife tore is not a passport. Please for bloggers, when you are blogging, blog well. She never tore my passport. My passport is intact. We are doing a skit.
“This is somebody’s story of what happened that we are passing to the world. I am begging the national TV, Tunde Ednut and so many that I cannot remember. Please, it is not the passport that she tore. I am begging everybody, immigration have seen my passport. My passport is intact.”
“What I said is the truth. To immigration of Nigeria, we say sorry. We can’t defy the laws of Nigeria. We are bonafide Nigerians and we can’t go against the laws by destroying the passport of Nigeria, it is not possible,” he concluded.
