A former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, has approached the Federal High Court Abuja challenging the seizure of his passport by the Nigeria Immigration Service.
Odili claimed that his passport was seized by the officials of the service on June 20, 2021, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
He deposed to the fact that he was just returning from a medical trip to the United Kingdom when he was deprived of his passport.
He argued that he had not done anything to warrant the seizure of his passport and prayed the court to compel the NIS to release his passport.
The former governor also prayed the court to order the immigration service to issue a written apology for the embarrassment they caused him.
In its counter affidavit, the NIS disclosed that Odili’s passport was seized because he was on the watch list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The service also said the seizure was the result of collaborative efforts by security agencies.
It also stated that the former governor had not demanded his passport or inquired into the reason for the seizure.
In court on Wednesday, the lawyer for the NIS, Jimoh Adamu, told the court that he had opposed Odili’s suit by filing and serving a counter-affidavit as required by law, seeking an adjournment to put his house in order.
Odili’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), did not object to the application for adjournment.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the matter to September 28.
