The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced a revision of its visa clearance procedures, following public outcry over a controversial requirement that mandated married women to submit an approval letter from their husbands as part of the application process.

The policy, widely criticized as discriminatory and outdated, sparked a heated debate on social media on Wednesday, with many calling for its removal.

Responding to the backlash, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi issued a statement on Thursday confirming that the requirement has been scrapped. He explained that the entire visa clearance procedure is currently under review.

“The procedure for visa clearance issued by the NDLEA, as required by some countries, is under review, and the requirement for married women to present a letter of approval from their husbands has been discarded. This provision was initially included due to specific unfavorable developments in some source countries,” Babafemi said.

He added that the public will be informed of the updated procedures once the review is complete.

This development comes as the NDLEA continues to address broader reforms within its operations.