The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to deactivate passports of citizens who formally renounce their status.
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The Federal Government has taken a firm stance on citizenship regulations. It has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to immediately withdraw passports from individuals who have formally renounced their citizenship.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo issued this directive on Thursday. He stated that the move specifically targets those whose renunciation requests have already been approved by the President.
The Minister expressed concern that some individuals continue to hold Nigerian passports despite losing their citizenship. He emphasized that this practice is no longer legally acceptable.
According to him, once citizenship is lost, the right to hold any Nigerian sovereign document automatically expires. A non-citizen cannot legally possess a Nigerian passport.
This decision is backed by Section 29 of the 1999 Constitution. The law states that a person ceases to be a Nigerian citizen once the President registers their declaration of renunciation.
Tunji-Ojo explained that this step is crucial for national security. It is part of broader reforms to strengthen border control and sanitize the identity management system.
The government remains committed to preventing identity fraud while ensuring that travel documents are only held by eligible citizens.
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