Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) on Monday morning seized the international passport of the Coordinator of the BringBackOurGirls group and former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Oby Ezekwesili
Ezekwesili was on her way to London when her passport was confiscated by the security operatives and she was prevented from boarding her flight.
Her passport was however released to her about 30 minutes later and the BBOG campaigner was allowed to board the plane.
A BBOG spokesperson, Rotimi Olawale, confirmed that Ezekwesili’s traveling document was seized by security operatives and later released to her.
He said, “Oby’s passport was seized by security operatives at the Nnamdi International Airport, Abuja for about 30 minutes and she was prevented from boarding her plane, but she has now been released and she is on her way to London for her engagement.”
Ezekwesili later tweeted to her followers that she did not allow the security personnel to trample on her rights.
The message from her @obyezeks Twitter handle reads: “No ONE can SEIZE my DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS. I REFUSED to let the SSS GET AWAY with TRAMPLING on my CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.”
The former minister had been at logger-heads with the government over
her campaign for the release of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by
Boko Haram on April 14, 2014.
The daily sit-outs by the BBOG members at the Unity Fountain, Maitama,
Abuja, has been a sore point for the Federal Government which accused
the movement of being sponsored by the opposition party.
She has been at the receiving end of criticism from the Presidency
with the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President
Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Doyin Okupe, accusing her of scuttling the
proposed meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and parents of
the abducted Chibok girls, who were in Abuja last week.
