The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately release the travel passport of the former governor of Rivers, PETER ODILI.
Delivering judgment in a suit on breach of fundamental rights filed by ODILI, Justice NANYANG EKWO held that the NIS had no legal justification to seize the former governor’s passport.
EKWO also declared that the seizure of ODILI’s passport was contemptuous and constituted an infringement on his fundamental rights.
He also made an order restraining the NIS from further arresting, intimidating, or harassing ODILI. The judge also ordered the NIS to write a letter of apology to ODILI for embarrassing him in the manner in which his passport was seized.
He added that the claim by the NIS that ODILI’s passport was seized because he was on the EFCC watch list was done in violation and disobedience of an earlier court order.
He further said that the claim was not backed by any evidence for the court to consider.
