Mr. Igiebor, the husband of Favour Igiebor, the woman who went viral for tearing what appeared to be her husband’s passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, has apologized to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) over the incident.
In a Facebook post featuring the couple and their two children, Mr. Igiebor claimed that the entire incident was staged as a prank. He stated that the document his wife tore was not actually his passport, and accused bloggers of taking the incident out of context.
“It’s a skit. It was someone’s story of what happened that we are passing to the world. I did not know that it would go this way. I’m begging everybody, it was not my passport she tore. Immigration has seen my passport, my passport is intact. We are bonafide Nigerians and we cannot go against the law,” Mr. Igiebor said.
In a viral video, Mrs. Favour Igiebor was seen being escorted by immigration officers, suggesting she had been arrested. However, when contacted, the NIS spokesperson, Kenneth Udo, could not confirm the arrest at the time of reporting.
Under the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), tearing or tampering with a passport is an offense punishable by up to 10 years in jail or a fine of 2 million Naira, or both.
The original incident sparked outrage on social media, with many condemning Mrs. Igiebor’s actions. The couple’s claim that it was a prank has now raised questions about the authenticity of the viral video and the potential consequences they may face.
