The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has issued a directive to the Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) for the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of passports of Nigerians, who have continued to hold on to the document, after renouncing their citizenship.

Sunday Telegraph reports that the directive applies to Nigerians, whose requests for renunciation have formally been approved by the President. A statement signed yesterday by his Media aide, Babatunde, said the Minister derived the renunciation power from Section 29 (1) (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Thus: “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation. “The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person, who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria”.

He further argued that, once a person ceases to be a citizen of Nigeria, he loses the right to carry any document, which bears the nation’s sovereign seal. According to the Minister, the development is also consistent with the passport and visa reforms which the Ministry has undertaken within the past few years.

“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,” the Minister was quoted as saying.