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FG orders withdrawal of passports from Nigerians who renounce citizenship
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw and deactivate passports belonging to individuals who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship.
The directive was disclosed in a statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media, Alao Babatunde.
It applies specifically to Nigerians whose requests to renounce their citizenship have been officially approved by the President.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the ministry, which is responsible for maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s citizenship system, is acting in line with the provisions of the Constitution. He cited Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as the legal basis for the directive.
According to the statement, the Constitution provides that any Nigerian citizen of full age who wishes to renounce their citizenship must do so through a formal declaration in the prescribed manner.
“(2)The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria.”
According to the statement, the minister said once a person ceases to be a citizen, they can no longer hold any sovereign document of Nigeria, including a passport.
He also described the move as consistent with ongoing passport and visa reforms undertaken by the ministry in recent years.
He said the latest directive was aimed at closing a gap that allowed former citizens to continue travelling on Nigerian passports after their renunciation had been officially recognised.
“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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