The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has stated that married women will no longer need to seek their husbands’ approval for visa applications.
This change follows strong public backlash against the earlier requirement.
On Thursday, October 10, 2024, the NDLEA shared this update through a post on X, addressing the concerns raised by the community.
The agency confirmed that this requirement has been removed from its official website.
Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, explained that the entire visa clearance process, which various countries demand, is currently under review.
“The requirement for a married woman to present a letter of approval from her husband is one of the items that the agency has since deemed non-mandatory,” Babafemi stated. He noted that this stipulation was initially included due to “ugly developments in some source countries,” he stated.
The NDLEA has reassured the public that this stipulation has been taken off the list of requirements. They promise to release more details about the ongoing review in the near future.
It’s essential to note that this requirement did not originate from the NDLEA or Nigeria but came from the source countries themselves.
These countries have strict entry laws to protect their borders from potential drug trafficking threats.
Consequently, the NDLEA serves as an enforcement body to meet these international expectations, ensuring that Nigerians traveling to these specific nations can demonstrate their legal standing regarding drug-related issues.
In 2021, the NDLEA published a list of eight countries where a visa clearance certificate is necessary for travelers. These countries—Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Russia – are known for their strict anti-drug regulations and rigorous border controls.