The man at the centre of a viral video controversy, in which his wife appeared to tear up his passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, has finally spoken out.

In a new video shared on the family’s TikTok page, the husband clarified that the entire incident was staged as a skit.

The husband, who appeared in the video with his children, begged Nigerians to forgive him and understand that the incident was not real.

He explained that what his wife tore was not a passport, but rather a prop used for the skit.

“We are sorry, we cannot defile the law of Nigeria,” he said. “We are full bonafide Nigerians, we cannot go against the law by destroying the passport of Nigeria, it is not possible.”

The controversy began on Monday when a video circulated on social media showing the man’s wife destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the airport.

In reaction, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said it has launched a formal investigation into the incident and identified the individual involved.

Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Kenneth Udo said, “If the allegations are substantiated, her actions would have constituted a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), with corresponding penalties outlined under Section 10(h) of the same Act.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserving the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.”