Court orders immigration service to return international passport to Peter Odili

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and its comptroller-general to return the international passport seized from a former Rivers governor, Peter Odili to him.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order today in a judgement based on the fundamental rights enforcement suit by Odili.

Justice Ekwo declared the seizure of Odili’s passport as unconstitutional, illegal, and violation of his fundamental rights.

The Nigera Immigration Service while justifying its action, claimed to have seized the passport upon a request to that effect by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on grounds that Odili was on its watch list.

The court subsequently ordered the NIS to render an apology to Mr Odili for the embarrassment caused him, and further restrained them from harassing or intimidating him while in the country or leaving the country.