Should a citizen be detained and/or arrested and his/her travel documents (including passports) confiscated at a port of entry in his country of birth?. Yes, If the citizen is reasonably believed to have broken the law or is a threat to the security of the country which by the way is also breaking the law.
Okey Ndibe’s citizenship of Nigeria is evidenced by his possession of a valid Nigerian passport. He has every right therefore to leave and return to Nigeria with help if necessary, and without hindrance if he is not under reasonable suspicion of having broken Nigeria’s law(s)by lawful Nigerian authorities. The question that must be asked is why Okay was detained and his travel documents confiscated at his port of entry? One expects that Okay was told why at his meeting with some “big man” in Lagos after his airport encounter.
Forum participants were not privy to this information. Many understandably, were quick to assume the worst. Was this rush to judgment justified? Yes of course. Experience with Nigeria’s immigration authorities and security agencies, of detention and travel documents’ confiscation at ports of entry, has not been good. They have been known to be careless, reckless, and sometimes unfeeling and irresponsible. Returnees expect to be told why they are pulled out and their travel documents confiscated. They are usually not told why for days and weeks and sometimes after their release. Many returnees find at the end of the day, that there was no reasonable justification for the treatment that they have endured. Returnees may have to offer consideration to security agency officials to recover their travel documents and it may take an unreasonable amount of time to do so. Some Nigerian have lost their jobs overseas because of unwarranted detention and the delay in recovering their travel documents. Some returnees have been held in custody without their families knowing that they were so held.
Nigeria’s immigration and security services have a trust deficit. They need improvement so that more Nigerians may believe that returnees are detained at ports of entry in Nigeria for good reasons and in the public interest, and that immigration and security agency officials are lawfully doing their jobs as public servants.
Was Okey right to quickly draw attention to his plight? Yes of course. Were his friends and colleagues right to internationalize Okey’s plight? Yes of course. There is no knowing what might have happened to him had he and his friends not cried out loudly. Thanks to the internet. Was the treatment meted out to Okey warranted? Those who detained him and confiscated his travel documents should justify their decisions and actions by making their case publicly.
Okey may in time, be well served by his recent fortuitous experience. He has become a national and international celebrity through no action of his. Who knows who would be the next victim.
oa
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Mobolaji ALUKO
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 3:46 PM
To: USAAfrica Dialogue; NaijaPolitics e-Group; nigerianid@yahoogroups.com; naijaintellects; OmoOdua; ekiti ekitigroups
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - TUESDAY THOT: On the Strange Detention of Prof. Okey Ndibe
_________________________________________________________________
TUESDAY THOT: On the Strange Detention of Prof. Okey Ndibe
by
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Burtonsville, MD, USA
January 11, 2011
____________________________________________________________________________________________
My People:
Happy New Year....
But why might a government be UNHAPPY with a mere public commentator like Prof. Okey Ndibe? This may be for one of several reasons:
1. he has (once or repeatedly) criticized a particular government policy;
2. he told a truth (that the government would rather not let the world know); a lie or untruth (once or repeatedly) about a government policy or official;
3. he (once or repeatedly) abused a particular high government official.
4. he asked (once or repeatedly) for the removal of general political support for a government-in-power - as in during the next elections.
I am quite certain that Okey has done one or more of the above, yet none of them should cause him to be stopped at the border when entering or leaving the country. Criticism - even severe one, whether truthful or dishonest - abuse, and preference of alternate government are part of politics, while correcting the lie or untruth is all that need to be done before a government moves on.
But why might a commentator be justifiably STOPPED at a border?
5. Only if he has REPEATEDLY (not even just once) asked for violent reaction (including mayhem and murder) to a government or its functionaries, AND has demonstrated a followership willing to obey him, AND that has obeyed him once or more times.
This is INCITEMENT to violent or murderous outcome cannot be tolerated in any society by the government-of-the-day, even if we agree that it is a fascist one. Even a progressive one will not tolerate it. It is the only basis that I can see for a commentator to be STOPPED at the border, whereupon he should be charged for INCITEMENT for actual mayhem along with those others who ACTUALLY caused the mayhem, not just warned.
Then why might a commentator be on a WATCH-LIST at a border?
6. He has ONCE or REPEATEDLY asked for violent reaction (including mayhem and murder) to a government or its functionaries, but has NOT demonstrated a followership willing to obey him. That is, NO ONE has acted on his incitement.
In that case, when stopped, he should be told PRECISELY why he is being stopped and being warned.
Note that I have emphasised above is about a MERE PUBLIC COMMENTATOR, not one, who, in addition to public commentaries, is
7. a spy for a foreign government; and/or
8. a gun runner with an intent to war against the government or murder someone; and/or
9. a crook (financial, etc.)
10. any other overtly criminal activity (eg rape, money laundry, etc.)
In that case, criminality has become a handmaiden to his public commentaries.
Those who arrested Prof Okey Ndibe in Nigeria within the past few days should tell us PRECISELY why he was stopped - for example which of the above ten examples or others he is guilty of - and who else is on the watch list that Okey was on. Merely releasing him - welcome as it is - is clearly not enough.
Those are my thoughts; yours are welcome.
And there you have it.
Bolaji Aluko
Public Commentator
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