Since Wednesday’s slaughtering of an innocent British soldier by Michael Adeboloja and Michael Adebowale in broad daylight in the Woolwich area of South East London, many Nigerians at home and abroad have argued forcefully that the two terrorists are not Nigerians. Their argument is that even though both Muslim extremists are of Nigerian parentage, they were born in the United Kingdom, carry British birth certificate and British passport, cannot speak any Nigerian language and have never been to Nigeria.

This position is however not in agreement with the Nigerian Constitution, which clearly recognises Michael Adeboloja and Michael Adebowale as Nigerian citizens, saying unequivocally that “Every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.”

People of the birth circumstances of Michael Adeboloja and Michael Adebowale usually enjoy dual citizenship, which explains why Nigeria is always eager to make use of any of them willing to serve the country. A good example is soccer star Sydney Sam, whom Nigeria has desperately sought to play for the Super Eagles but who just got called up by Germany and prefers to play for Germany.

Therefore, while the abominable act perpetrated by Michael Adeboloja and Michael Adebowale is condemnable, it does not make them not to be Nigerians because they have Nigerian blood running in their veins.  

Below are details of the definition of a Nigerian citizen as contained in Section 25 - 32 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [as Amended] dealing with Nigerian citizenship:

25(1)    The following persons are citizens of Nigeria by birth, namely:

(a)        every person born in Nigeria before the date of independence, either of whose parents or  any of whose grandparents belongs or belonged to a community indigenous to Nigeria.

            Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Nigeria by virtue of this section if neither of his parents nor any of his grandparents was born in Nigeria.

(b)        every person born in Nigeria after the date of independence either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria; and

(c)        every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.

(2)        In this Section, “the date of independence” means the 1st day of October, 1960

•Photo shows Michael Adeboloja after killing Lee Rigby in an unprovoked attack.