Saraki disowns ‘fake’ UK passport in circulation

Senate President Bukola Saraki says a copy of his UK passport doing the round on the internet is “forged”.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Bamikole Omishore, his special assistant on new media, said Saraki has instructed his solicitors to write to the UK Home Office for an immediate investigation “into this act of criminality”.

“There is no doubt that this is a typical criminal offence against the State and also an act of defamation of character against the President of the Senate and whoever is found responsible should be prosecuted,” Omishore said.

The original copy of the passport was not made available by the media office, but an insider told TheCable it will be released “at the right time”.

“The number of his original UK passport as well as the image on it are completely different from what is currently in circulation. Saraki’s immediate interest is to show that this is a criminal act of forgery,” the source said, adding that when legal proceedings begin, the British authorities will also produce the certified true copy.

Sahara Reporters, Nigeria’s top whistle-blowing website which published the original report, is standing by its story and has challenged the senate president to produce a copy of his UK passport.

Omishore, in the statement, promised to make available “the outcome of the investigation by the UK Home office and passport office”.