Mrs. Igiebor, a Nigerian woman whose video went viral after she was seen tearing her husband’s passport at the Lagos Airport, has finally spoken out about her reasons for the dramatic act.
According to Igiebor, the incident was the culmination of long-standing family issues that began long before the couple returned to Nigeria from Europe.
Igiebor, who is also a content creator on TikTok, shared her side of the story in a video posted on Monday. She revealed that her actions were driven by deep frustrations and personal pain, which she had endured for years.
“This issue has been going on for a long time. And I have to do what I did. Don’t just look at my actions alone. I’m not a mad woman. I have gone through so many things. I have my own reasons,” she explained.
The video, which has drawn significant attention, features Igiebor admitting that her intent was to prevent her husband from returning to Europe.
“What if I had done this thing in Europe, where we came from? I don’t want him to go through much stress, which is why I did it in Nigeria,” she said.
She emphasized that the incident was the result of ongoing family conflicts and that her husband was unable to speak about the issues openly.
Igiebor also accused her husband of neglecting her in favor of his family, causing her prolonged suffering. “My husband is a mother’s boy, sister’s and brother’s best brother. Making me the wife to be suffering. I did what I did for him to know that I’ve been bearing the pain,” she added.
While she apologized to Nigerians and the Nigerian Immigration Service for her actions, she remained defiant about the pain she had endured.
“Those of you calling for my arrest should come and hold me responsible. I cry every time after three kids. They should let me reap what I have sown with him. My husband should come out and say what happened,” she insisted.
The incident, which took place on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, sparked widespread outrage after the video of the passport destruction went viral.
In the footage, Igiebor, visibly agitated, retorted to onlookers, “Is it your passport?” when questioned about her actions.
In response to the incident, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched an investigation. The NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo, confirmed this in a statement released on Sunday.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service has launched a formal investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveller destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos,” the statement read.
The NIS noted that Igiebor’s actions could constitute a violation of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), which prohibits the willful destruction of Nigerian travel documents. The act specifies penalties for such offenses.