The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has swiftly reversed its decision requiring married women to obtain a letter of approval from their husbands to secure a visa clearance certificate.

This sudden U-turn comes after the agency faced intense backlash on social media, with many condemning the policy as discriminatory and outdated.

According to a statement issued response to the public backlash by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesman, the requirement was removed following a review of the agency’s procedures.

In the press release, Babafemi explained that the initial inclusion of the requirement stemmed from “ugly developments” in certain countries, but acknowledged that it was no longer mandatory.

“The entire procedure for visa clearance issued by the NDLEA as required by some countries is currently undergoing review and the requirement for a married woman to present a letter of approval from her husband to travel is one of the items that the Agency has since jettisoned as a non-mandatory item on the list.

“The inclusion of that item abinitio arose following some ugly developments in some source countries.

“Members of the public are assured that the item has been deleted from the list of requirements in the ongoing review exercise, which will be made public in the coming days.” Babafemi stated.

This controversy has sparked a broader conversation about gender equality and women’s rights in Nigeria. Critics argue that such policies perpetuate harmful stereotypes and undermine women’s autonomy.