In the current media landscape, the incident that occurred upon the arrival of a family in Nigeria has sparked a wave of outrage, leading many to condemn the act as vandalism of government property.
In a widely circulated video, a woman can be seen angrily responding, “Is this your passport?” after being questioned about her actions. In a casual manner, she told her visibly shocked husband, “If you want to sleep here, sleep here, this is Nigeria, this is where you will be,” before taking their children elsewhere.
NIS spokesperson Kenneth Udo confirmed in Abuja that those involved in the incident have been identified and summoned for further investigation. He stressed that if the allegations are proven true, the woman’s actions would be in violation of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015, which could result in severe penalties as set out in Section 10(h).
What is the punishment for passport mutilation?
Udo reiterated the NIS’s commitment to upholding the Immigration Act, stressing the importance of national security and the integrity of the country’s legal documents. The Miscellaneous Provisions section of the Act lists the punishment for mutilation of Nigerian Passport as follows:
“Any person who alters or assists another to alter any travel document, or who produces, reproduces or assists in the production or reproduction of any travel document without lawful authority, commits an offence under section 59 of the Act and is liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term of five years or to a fine of one million naira, or to both.”
It is imperative to emphasize that the protection of national official documents is essential to the security and integrity of a country. Therefore, any action aimed at jeopardizing these elements of national sovereignty must be dealt with in the strongest terms. This case underscores the importance of respecting existing laws and regulations, and highlights the need to punish those who choose to violate them.