Couple face 10 years in prison if found guilty in passport mutilation probe

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a formal investigation into the incident at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) involving a female traveller destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport, which was caught on video and circulated on social media.

“The individual has been identified and invited for further investigation,” Immigration wrote in a statement released on Monday. “If the allegations are substantiated, her actions would have constituted a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), with corresponding penalties outlined under Section 10(h) of the same Act.”

According to Section 10(b) and (h) of the Immigration Act any individual who “unlawfully alters, tampers with or mutilates any passport or any pages,” or “attempts, aides and abets, counsels, procures, connives or conspires with any other person to do any of the acts” is “liable of conviction to imprisonment for a term of ten years or a fine of Two Million Naira or both,” the Act reads.

What BusinessDay knows

The video which has led to an investigation by the NIS made rounds on social media over the weekend.

In the footage, pieces of a Nigerian Standard passport are seen on the floor of the MMIA, allegedly torn by a woman in a fit of rage and anger directed at her husband in the presence of their three kids shortly after they arrived at the Airport on August 10, 2024.

She defiantly retorted “na your own,” meaning “Is it yours?” to anyone who questioned her actions.

BusinessDay traced the watermarked video to TikTok and discovered that the family involved are self-proclaimed content creators with over 4000 followers on the platform. Their profile bio reads, “This is Jejola Family TV, we are content creators.”

A look through the creators’ page shows they are reputed for creating prank videos and other bait content. BusinessDay has reason to believe that the video was yet another prank by the couple to gain more clicks and engagements.

Immigration is firm on proceeding with an investigation to “preserve the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.”