British Passport Linked To Saraki Forged – UK Authority

A scanned copy of a British passport purportedly

belonging to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki,

was forged, UK authorities have stated .

The passport, with the name Olybukola Saraki, and

number 306077175 was published by Sahara

Reporters as evidence of Mr. Saraki’s dual

citizenship and subsequent ineligibility to hold public

office in Nigeria.

Though Mr. Saraki confessed that he has a UK

passport obtained by virtue of his being born in the

country, he said the passport published by the

website was not his and may have been forged.

In a statement released by his special assistant on

new media, Bamikole Omishore, the senate

president said he instructed his attorney to

contact the UK Passport Office to investigate what

he termed an “act of criminality.”

Mr. Saraki further explained that only those who

voluntarily obtained the citizenship of another

country are disqualified from holding public office.

“It is important to state that the requirement to

forfeit Nigerian nationality/citizenship upon

acquisition of the nationality/citizenship of another

country does not apply to persons who are

Nigerians by birth within the definition of Section

25 of the Constitution. This section also

acknowledges and protects the right to hold

citizenship by birth of another country.

“Citizens of a country by birth do not need to

swear to an oath of allegiance to that country. It

is only a citizenship acquired through naturalisation

and registration that has the requirement to take

an oath of allegiance,” he said on Facebook.

In response to inquiry into the matter by Mr.

Saraki’s lawyer, Andrew Stephenson of Discreet

Law, London, Her Majesty Passport Office

confirmed that the published passport was forged.

The letter, made available to PREMIUM TIMES by

Mr .Saraki’s media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, with

reference number, Disc/Info/SARAKI/030915 and

signed by C. Emery of Disclosure of Information

department of HM Passport Office, confirmed that

Mr. Saraki was issued a British passport on June

29, 2006, which will expire on 29 June, 2016. The

number of Saraki’s genuine passport was, however,

redacted in the letter.

The letter confirmed that the number on the

scanned published passport does not relate to Mr.

Saraki.

“I can further confirm that the number on the

copy of the passport you supplied (marked 2 by

yourselves) does not relate to Mr. Saraki,” the

letter stated.

It however declined to provide detail on who owns

the passport number on the published passport

saying that it can only disclose such information

“upon production of a United Kingdom court order”

directing the department to release the

information