The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports held by persons who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship, closing a gap that allowed former citizens to continue travelling on Nigerian documents after their renunciation was officially recognised.
The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and contained in a statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde. It covers individuals whose renunciation requests have been formally approved by the President.
Tunji-Ojo anchored the directive on Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that any citizen of full age who wishes to renounce Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner, and that upon presidential registration of such declaration, the person ceases to be a citizen of Nigeria.
The minister said once a person loses citizenship, they are no longer entitled to hold any sovereign document of the country, including a passport.
He described the directive as part of broader passport and visa reforms undertaken by the ministry in recent years, aimed at strengthening border security and preserving the integrity of Nigerian citizenship.
“We will continue to strengthen systems that secure Nigeria’s borders, prevent identity fraud, preserve the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitate legitimate travel while preventing unauthorised or ineligible access,” Tunji-Ojo said.
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