A former Minister of Education and a champion of the #Bring back our
girls campaign, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has narrated her ordeals in
the hands of security operatives at the Abuja International Airport on
Monday.
Ezekwesili was delayed for over 40 minutes by men of the Department of
State Security, who harassed her based on "orders from above."
Narrating her ordeal to members of the Christian Association of
Nigerian-Americans, to whom she is a trustee on Tuesday, Ezekwesili
gave a blow-by-blow account of her ordeal in the hands SSS.
This was contained in a statement by CANAN Executive Director,
Pastor Laolu Akande, on Tuesday after the former minister visited the
group in London.
Akande quoted Ezekwesili as saying, "I arrived the airport yesterday
(Monday) to travel to London on BA. First, after the luggage screening
section, I moved to the Customs people, sitting right next to it and
do a more thorough bag search. Rather than they handling my luggage as
is the practice, there were three SSS men, who rudely took over before
they could do so and ordered me to open my bag.
"I was traveling light with just my hand luggage leather roll on and
my computer bag. I placed the bag for them and one was already
furiously frisking through it when the Customs advised that a woman be
allowed to do it. She was allowed and she did it.
"She finished, zipped up the luggage and they said I could proceed but
I asked that the computer bag be also searched and they did.
"I went on to do my checking and got my boarding pass and was swiftly
done. I arrived the departure immigration desk at about 7.15am and
presented my passport and forms. The immigration worker did his
processing and handed to the SSS official.
"Usually, the entire process lasts no more than five to 10 minutes on
a passport. As a frequent traveller through our Lagos and Abuja
airports, I speak based on experience and evidence. Even on the same
day, the process for those of the travellers that I witnessed did not
last more than five minutes. But on Monday, it became, five, 10, 15
and 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 minutes for the departure desk processing for
me, with no explanation given except 'We act under instruction'.
Ezekwesili, a former Presidential adviser during the former President
Olusegun Obasanjo regime, added, "At each point after 10 minutes of
waiting, I asked the officer why my passport was taking so long and
not being handed to me. His recurrent response was "We act under
instruction". I would go on and state that he owed me explanation on
what was wrong since there seemed to be a different process from the
regular and that he had no right to trample on my constitutional right
to movement.
"He would respond, 'I am not doing this personally madam. I am simply
acting based on instruction and you of all persons should understand
that'. When it was 20 minutes into the process, and with BA announcing
the final boarding call for the 8am flight, the officer walked out of
the cubicle heading off. I followed him asking where he was going
without giving back my passport nor an explanation on why it was being
withheld. His nonchalant response was 'just wait. I am trying to help
you'.
"It became evident that they withheld the passport to detain me at
their departure desk in order to miss the flight. That was when I
tweeted @ 7.37am '@obyezeks: IS THIS A DEMOCRACY? I am being detained
by the SSS @ Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport . The SSS has
REFUSED to GIVE MY PASSPORT TO ME'.
"At 7.41am '@obyezeks: On my way to London this morning for my
@BBCHARDtalk appearance billed for TOMORROW and the SSS has DETAINED
me by WITHHOLDING my PASSPORT'."
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