Nigeria, Oct. 8 -- A bill seeking to impose a 10-year ban on the issuance of international passports to Nigerians convicted of crimes abroad and subsequently deported has passed second reading at the Senate.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage of the bill during the plenary on Tuesday after a majority of the senators supported it through voice votes.

Following its passage, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Interior for further deliberations and a public hearing.

The committee was directed to report back within four weeks.

The bill, which seeks to amend the Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, was sponsored by Bello Abubakar, the senator representing Niger North Senatorial District, but was ...