The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately withdraw and deactivate the passports of individuals who have formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship.
The directive, announced in a statement released Saturday by his special adviser on media, Alao Babatunde, specifically targets persons whose requests to renounce citizenship have been officially approved by the president.
Invoking the authority of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Tunji-Ojo emphasised that the Ministry is tasked with maintaining the integrity of Nigerian citizenship.
He cited Section 29(1) and (2) of the Constitution, which stipulates that once a person makes a formal declaration of renunciation and the President registers that declaration, the individual ceases to be a citizen of Nigeria.
The Minister clarified that upon the loss of citizenship, individuals are no longer entitled to hold any sovereign Nigerian documents, including the national passport.
This move is part of an ongoing series of passport and visa reforms spearheaded by the Ministry.
According to the statement, the directive is designed to close a critical loophole that previously allowed former citizens to continue travelling using Nigerian passports even after their renunciation had been legally 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 stated.
