Interior Minister Orders Withdrawal Of Passports From Former Nigerian Citizens

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate withdrawal and deactivation of Nigerian passports held by individuals who have formally renounced their citizenship.

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The directive was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service to enforce the decision without delay, according to a statement from his special adviser on media, Alao Babatunde.

The order affects Nigerians whose renunciation requests have already been approved by the President.

According to the Ministry, the move is rooted in constitutional provisions governing citizenship status. The Ministry of Interior said it derives its authority from Section 29(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which outlines the process for renouncing citizenship and confirms that individuals cease to be Nigerians once their declarations are registered by the President.

Officials said the withdrawal of passports is a necessary step to protect the integrity of the country’s sovereign documents. The Minister stressed that once citizenship ends, entitlement to a Nigerian passport automatically lapses.

He cited the constitutional provision, which states: “(1) 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. (2) 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”.

Tunji-Ojo said the policy aligns with ongoing passport and visa reforms aimed at tightening border controls and improving identity management.

“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 noted.