Top Nigerian music artiste, Davido tweeted some
days ago that he missed his flight to London
because some immigration officers stationed at
Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja,
Lagos harassed him for money.
The Nigerian Immigration Service has now
responded to Davido's claims.
In a statement released today by the NIS Public
Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, the Immigration
stated that on the fateful day, Davido presented a
US passport number 46074 issued at Georgia
on Dec. 14, 2009 and valid till December 14,
2019, but was asked to produce a Nigerian
passport, which he said he left at home.
According to the statement, "the officer now
informed him that he should go and bring the
Nigerian passport to convince him that he did not
enter Nigeria illegally with a foreign passport
without visa. Adeleke started arguing with the
officer, who had to refer the case to his superiors
and the verdict was that he could not make the
trip unless he produced the said Nigerian
passport.
“Livid with anger, Adeleke, in company with his
bodyguards, started protesting in a disorderly
manner, prompting the Comptroller of Immigration
in-charge at MMIA to intervene. He advised
Adeleke to call his bodyguards to order (caution)
and comply with the lawful instruction which
would not only erase any doubt as to his
immigration status but also establish his claim to
dual citizenship.”
Davido was said to have left and on the following
day produced his Nigerian e-passport with
number A02***477 issued at Abuja on August13,
2010 and valid till August 12, 2015.
“This behaviour of Adeleke is quite unfortunate.
One would ordinarily have expected some form of
commendation from him for the professional
manner the officers, who attended to him,
conducted themselves especially in saving him
from embarrassment at some international port
of entry by ensuring that his passport is endorsed
as is the law and practice in Nigeria.
“The intention of this statement is not to to join
issues with Mr. Adeleke but to set the facts of the
incident, as it happened at MMIA on the said day
straight."
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