Breaking: Interior Ministry Moves To Withdraw Passports From Ex-Nigerian Citizens

The order was issued by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service to enforce the directive without delay. This was disclosed in a statement by his media aide, Alao Babatunde.

The directive applies to former citizens whose renunciation requests have already been approved by the President.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the decision is based on provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which outline the process for renouncing citizenship and state that individuals cease to be Nigerians once their declaration is officially registered by the President.

Officials explained that withdrawing such passports is necessary to maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s official travel documents, noting that once a person gives up citizenship, they are no longer entitled to hold a Nigerian passport.

The minister emphasised that the policy is part of broader efforts to strengthen border control, improve identity management, and prevent misuse of national documents.

He added that the government remains committed to safeguarding the country’s citizenship system while ensuring that only eligible individuals have access to Nigerian travel documents.