A Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to return the international passport seized from former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili.
Justice Inyang Ekwo declared the seizure of Mr Odili’s passport as unconstitutional in a fundamental rights suit filed by the ex-governor.
The NIS had said it seized Odili’s passport at the behest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the grounds that Odili was on its watchlist.
He ordered the NIS to tender an apology to Odili, and also restrained the NIS from harassing and intimidating him from moving within or out of the country freely.
Justice Ekwo added that the seizure of the former governor’s passport, was a punitive act and no citizen should be treated in such a manner irrespective of status.
