The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has detained the woman in the centre of a viral incident at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, on Monday.
The drama captured the nation’s attention, as a woman was seen in a viral video tearing what was believed to be her husband’s Nigerian passport.
The video, which quickly spread across social media platforms, has prompted an investigation by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
The NIS, in response, launched a formal investigation into the matter, describing the act as a potential violation of the Immigration Act 2015.
Following her public explanation, the NIS took further action by reportedly arresting Igiebor.
In a video uploaded on social media, on Wednesday, she was seen being escorted by immigration officials. The NIS has not released a statement regarding her arrest, but the investigation continues to gather momentum.
In a statement released on Monday, NIS spokesman Kenneth Udo confirmed that the woman had been identified and invited for questioning. Udo emphasized that the destruction of a Nigerian passport is a serious offense under the law.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveler destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos,” the statement read.
He further noted that if the allegations against the woman are substantiated, her actions would constitute 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.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments,” Udo added.
In the wake of the video going viral, Favour Igiebor posted another video explaining her actions, attributing them to long-standing family issues. According to Igiebor, she has endured numerous challenges in her marriage, and the act of tearing the passport was a manifestation of her frustrations.
“You have to ask what happened, don’t just look at the action alone. I am not a mad woman who would just come and act like that. I have my reasons; I have gone through many things,” she said in the video.
Igiebor explained that she had considered destroying the passport while they were still in Europe but decided to wait until they were back in Nigeria to avoid causing her husband undue stress.
“When it gets to your neck, you have to act. I didn’t want to make him go through a lot of stress, that’s why I waited till we got to Nigeria to do it rather than Europe where I could have done it,” she added.
Sources indicate that if found guilty, Igiebor could face severe penalties under the Immigration Act, including possible imprisonment. The Act is clear about the sanctity of national documents such as passports, and any action deemed as an affront to these documents is taken seriously by the authorities.
