A naturalised citizen can lose his citizenship if found guilty of

1. Analyze the question The question asks which offence can make a naturalised citizen lose their citizenship. In Nigeria, citizenship is acquired by birth, registration, or naturalisation. Naturalised citizens hold their status on conditions, so it can be taken away for serious offences.

2. Explain the concept Under the 1999 Constitution (Section 31 on renunciation and deprivation), the President may deprive a person who became a citizen by registration or naturalisation of that citizenship. This applies if, within 5 years of the grant, the person is:

• sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 3 years, or
• shown to have been disloyal to Nigeria, which includes treason, or to have acted against the state in other serious ways (for example, assisting an enemy during war).

Other grounds for loss of citizenship include:

• Acquiring citizenship by fraud
• Showing disloyalty to the state
• Serving in the armed forces of an enemy country

3. Solution: test each option

• A. Treason: This is an act of betrayal and disloyalty against the state. It is the most serious offence against a country and a clear ground for deprivation of citizenship. ✔
• B. Evading of taxes: This is a civil or criminal offence, but it is not a recognised ground for losing citizenship.
• C. Electoral violence: This is an offence punished by law, but it does not by itself lead to loss of citizenship.
• D. Loitering: This is a minor offence and has no effect on citizenship.

4. Answer The correct answer is A. treason.

5. Exam tip Remember: "Naturalised = conditional." Look for the option that shows disloyalty to the state (treason, aiding an enemy, fraud in acquiring citizenship). Minor or ordinary offences like loitering or tax issues do not take away citizenship. You've got this!