The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to Nigerians who have formally renounced their citizenship but continue to use the documents.
In a statement issued on Friday by Alao Babatunde, SA Media to the Minister of Interior, it was clarified that the directive applies only to individuals whose renunciation requests have been officially approved by President Bola Tinubu.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the Ministry of Interior, responsible for maintaining citizenship integrity, is acting under the authority of subsections (1) and (2) of Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The provision states that any Nigerian citizen of full age who wishes to renounce citizenship must make a declaration in the prescribed manner, and upon registration by the President, the individual ceases to be a Nigerian citizen.
“Once a person ceases to be a citizen of Nigeria, he can no longer carry any sovereign document of Nigeria, including the nation’s passport,” the Minister stated.
The move aligns with ongoing passport and visa reforms within the Ministry, aimed at strengthening border security, preventing identity fraud, preserving the sanctity of Nigerian citizenship, and facilitating legitimate travel while preventing unauthorized access.
The directive underscores the government’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of national identity documents and ensuring that only eligible individuals hold Nigerian passports.
