NIGERIA Immigration Service (NIS) officials have been accused of seizing a passengers passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos simply because she asked them to wear facemasks before interacting with her.
According to Temitope Olagbegi, she had politely asked the officers to wear face masks but was allegedly insulted in return after and told that a woman had no right to question men. In the blurry video Ms Olagbegi was heard repeatedly asking for her passport on Instagram
She posted: “It was a heartbreaking experience for me coming into the country to see the Nigeria Immigration Service officers not wearing masks. How can you be handling multiple passports without gloves or masks.
“These guys speak to people and droplets can get unto passports. Is this not how the virus is transmitted? I said to them in a friendly manner at first to wear their masks and the complete disregard infuriated me.
“I began to scream, I couldn’t take it. Are they ignorant? If they are ignorant, I dare say, they should not be there as government representatives. I lost a dear friend to Covid-19 less than a month ago. Why is this not being taken seriously?
“Did they think seizing my passport would scare me? No way. I demanded to see the highest authority and what was I told? ”
In another post, she said she had to stand her ground before her passport and those of her family members were eventually released. Ms Olagbegi said she was asked by the officers to delete the videos and pictures she made and that none of the officers eventually used a face mask.
Ms Olagbegi added: “I got the insults of my life in the two hours my passport and those of my family members were held. I was told by the authorities that as a woman I had no right to challenge the men to wear their masks.
“I was told I must have been ill brought up and I must be a bad wife and mother to my children. At some point, the age on my passport was checked and they said, I was not even their mate.
“I had to ask the supposed boss speaking to me if these were the appropriate responses to give to a woman demanding the right thing to be done by his officers. We have tolerated too much nonsense from officers for too long.”
