Reports said Ndibe was detained by DSS operatives upon his arrival at the Lagos airport, triggering reactions from civil society organisations and media stakeholders.
However, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its deputy director of public relations and strategic communications, Favour Dozie, the DSS said its interaction with Ndibe was part of a routine process aimed at reviewing and removing individuals from its watchlist.
According to the DSS, Ndibe was not arrested at the airport but was engaged as part of an ongoing review of watchlist actions initiated by the current director-general upon assuming office.
It partly reads: “The current DG of the service, upon assumption of duty, directed a review of old Watch-List Actions (WLAs), some of which date back to the military era. This is to ensure that citizens are not unduly embarrassed due to pre-existing WLAs.
“In this regard, all those who had previously been watchlisted while in transit are routinely interfaced with as a prerequisite for a review and possible downgrade of the action. This is being a precursor to a final delisting in accordance with international best practices. It is pertinent to state that the foregoing process is aimed at ensuring that before the final delisting, the activities and travel histories as well as current activities of these individuals are not in furtherance of and do not still conform with the reasons for the initial WLA.”
The DSS disclosed that Ndibe had been on its watchlist since January 29, 2013, but that his case had since been reviewed and downgraded.
It added that the interaction at the airport was intended to facilitate the final removal of his name from the watchlist and that he was cleared and escorted after less than an hour.
“In the same vein, Prof. Ndibe has been on a watchlist since January 29, 2013. Meanwhile, his case has been reviewed and downgraded. Thus, the interface with him at the airport was geared towards the final delisting of his details from the action.
“As part of the routine interface involved in the process, after barely an hour of his interaction with the service, he was cleared and escorted. Note that, even on his Facebook post, he referenced the professional, courteous and decorous conduct of service operatives, who continue to scale their respect for the rule of law and human rights under the new leadership,” the statement said.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring fair treatment of citizens and encouraged individuals who believe they may be affected by watchlist actions to formally contact its headquarters for review.
But Prof Ndibe put a lie to the DSS claims in the same Facebook post the agency referenced.
While acknowledging that the two DSS agents who interacted with him were “quite courteous,” he, however, insisted, contrary to the DSS claims that he was neither arrested nor detained and that their interaction with him lasted for less than an hour, that he was actually detained for more than three hours.
The Facebook post read: “I am so grateful for the expressions of concern by many friends, acquaintances and others over my detention earlier today by the DSS at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The two agents who interacted with me were quite courteous throughout the three+ hours of my detention. I’d like to confirm that I’ve been released. Dozens of people have called me from different parts of the world, I was only able to speak to a few. In the coming days I’ll find time to return more calls. But I want all to know that I am fine and in excellent spirits. I treasure your messages and gestures of friendship.”
TheNiche had published a story on the arrest on Monday.
The story itself was informed by Okey Ndibe’s text message yesterday morning which read: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some ọga before they let me go.”
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