OkechukwuListen "Okey" Ndibe is a novelist, political columnist, and essayist of Igbo ethnicity.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has strongly criticised the reported detention of renowned Nigerian novelist and author, Okey Ndibe, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
In a statement issued on Monday, the rights organisation described the incident as unlawful and part of what it called a growing pattern of intimidation and harassment targeting critics, activists, journalists and civil society groups in Nigeria.
According to SERAP, Ndibe, who arrived in Nigeria from the United States, was detained by DSS operatives at the airport before being released. The organisation said reports indicated that the security agency later attributed the situation to the absence of the officer handling his case file, who was reportedly out of the country.
Reacting to the development, SERAP said: “We condemn the reported arbitrary detention today of novelist and author Okey Ndibe by the Tinubu government upon his arrival in Nigeria. While he has reportedly been released, he should never have been detained in the first place simply for the peaceful exercise of his human rights.”
The organisation argued that the detention raised fresh concerns about the state of civil liberties in the country.
“Okey Ndibe’s detention forms part of an escalating crackdown on human rights in Nigeria, particularly the increasing use of the DSS (SSS) to harass, intimidate and target critics, human rights defenders, activists and civil society organisations for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly,” SERAP stated.
The group maintained that detaining individuals for expressing opinions or criticising those in authority violates both domestic and international legal protections.
“Detaining writers, journalists, activists or other critics solely for peacefully exercising their human rights is patently unlawful and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations,” it added.
SERAP further stressed that no Nigerian should be subjected to harassment or detention because of their views or public commentary.
“No one should face harassment, intimidation or arbitrary detention because of their opinions, writing or peaceful criticism of those in power.
“These authoritarian practices by the Tinubu government MUST END.”
The organisation called on the Federal Government to provide a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s detention and ensure accountability.
“The Tinubu government must immediately clarify the legal basis for Mr Ndibe’s detention, ensure full transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident, and guarantee that the DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies do not misuse their powers to harass, intimidate or target individuals for peacefully exercising their human rights, including freedom of expression.”
SERAP also urged authorities to provide Ndibe with access to justice and effective remedies where necessary.
The rights group cited constitutional and international legal provisions protecting freedom of expression and personal liberty, noting that such rights extend even to opinions that challenge or criticise government actions.
It further called on international and regional human rights bodies to take notice of the incident.
“The United Nations and African Union human rights mechanisms, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, should publicly condemn the arbitrary detention of Mr Ndibe and send a clear message to the Tinubu government that repression of Nigerians’ rights—including the harassment and intimidation of critics, activists, human rights defenders and civil society organisations—will carry serious consequences for Nigeria’s human rights standing and international reputation.”
SERAP concluded by urging the government to end what it described as the harassment and intimidation of peaceful critics and to ensure safeguards against future violations of fundamental rights.
