By Abubakar Yunusa
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, said the Agency will support moves by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to investigate and prosecute such a breach in line with Section 10(B) of the Immigration Act, 2015 as a deterrent to those who may wilfully damage an important national symbol like the International Passport.
Onilu also condemned the action of one Mrs. Favour Igiebor, who allegedly tore her husband’s International Passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, saying her action constituted an affront against the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Director-General said this in a statement signed by the agency’s Deputy Director of Press, Paul Odenyi, and shared with journalists in Abuja on Monday.
“The International passport issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service is the property of the Federal Government, and no person who has the privilege of owning one should abuse or even damage it under any guise. What the lady has done is a grievous assault on our collective asset and a dent on the symbol of our identity as a nation,” he said.
Mallam Issa-Onilu also appealed to citizens to continue to show respect for the National Symbols as part of our patriotic commitment to national development, saying the NOA, as the custodian of these symbols, will continue to promote their use and integrity.
He, however, stressed that the incident calls for increased public enlightenment and awareness campaigns among all Nigerians about the National Symbols and their importance in the country.
The passport is one of the core national symbols enshrined in the nation’s ordinance as a patriotic icon representing the country and its identity, especially among other nations.
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