The Nigerian Senate has approved a bill that seeks to revoke the passports of citizens convicted of crimes in foreign countries for 10 years, in a move aimed at safeguarding the nation’s global image.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Abubakar Bello (Niger North), proposes an amendment to the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, stipulating that any Nigerian who serves a sentence abroad would have their passport withdrawn for a decade after completing the jail term.
Leading the debate on Tuesday, Senator Onawo Ogwoshi (Nasarawa South), who spoke on behalf of the sponsor, said the amendment was long overdue, stressing that it was designed to serve both punitive and deterrent purposes.
“The green passport, once a symbol of pride, is now widely disrespected. Innocent and patriotic Nigerians suffer harassment in airports, visa denials, and constant suspicion simply because of the actions of a few. That is nothing less than a state of emergency,” Ogwoshi said.
He argued that the measure would help reduce the embarrassment Nigeria faces internationally due to criminal activities linked to some of its citizens abroad.
Supporters of the bill maintained that the move would reassure foreign governments of Nigeria’s commitment to accountability while also protecting the integrity of its travel documents.
The debate comes against the backdrop of several high-profile convictions of Nigerians overseas, including the recent case of Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, who was sentenced to 56 months in prison in the United States for his role in a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 loan fraud scheme.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Oloyede was ordered to pay over $4.4 million in restitution, forfeit his home in Ohio, and serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
Observers say the Senate’s decision reflects growing concern over how such cases undermine the country’s international standing and contribute to the stigmatization of law-abiding Nigerians abroad.
The bill is expected to proceed to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
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