Nigeria: DSS Denies Arrest of Okey Ndibe, Says Airport Interaction Was for Watchlist Delisting Process
The agency said Ndibe’s name was reviewed and downgraded after a 2013 watch-list entry, part of a cleanup of outdated security alerts.
- On Thursday, Professor Okey Ndibe reported being detained for over three hours at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos; the State Security Service later denied the arrest, characterizing the interaction as routine.
- Ndibe had remained on the agency's watchlist since January 29, 2013, due to legacy Watch-List Actions dating back to the military era that the SSS is now sanitizing to prevent citizen embarrassment.
- In a statement issued Tuesday, SSS Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications Favour Dozie said the interface aimed at final delisting, noting agents were "quite courteous" throughout the encounter.
- To prevent unnecessary embarrassment from outdated alerts, the SSS Director-General ordered the review; the agency cited Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre , as a successful clearance precedent.
- Seeking fair treatment for all citizens, the SSS urged Nigerians who believe they are affected by existing Watch-List Actions to contact national headquarters for review, assuring that sanitization efforts will continue.
14 Articles
14 Articles
SSS explains Okey Ndibe saga at Lagos airport
According to the SSS, Mr Ndibe had been on its watch list since 29 January 2013 but his case had recently been reviewed and downgraded. The post SSS explains Okey Ndibe saga at Lagos airport appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
SERAP condemns Okey Ndibe’s detention, accuses Tinubu govt of rights crackdown
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the reported detention of renowned Nigerian novelist and author, Okey Ndibe, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival in Nigeria, describing the action as arbitrary and a violation of fundamental human rights. In a statement issued on Monday, SERAP said it “condemn[s] the reported arbitrary detention today of novelist and author Okey Ndibe …
Interface With Prof. Ndibe Targeted Delisting Him From 2013 Prevailing Watch List Actions, DSS Claries
…Says He Was Neither Arrested, Detained Anywhere The Department of State Services (DSS) has clarified that the Monday interface between Prof. Okey Ndibe and the agency was targeted at delisting him from the old Watch-List Actions (WLAs) prevailing since January 29, 2013. DSS further denied reports which had suggested that Prof. Ndibe was arrested and detained at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday. The clarification is contai…
Okey Ndibe was not arrested, airport encounter linked to watchlist review - DSS - THE AUTHORITY NEWS
The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied reports that renowned author and academic, Prof. Okey Ndibe, was arrested or detained at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 1, 2026, insisting that the interaction with him was part of an ongoing process to review and remove names from its watchlist. In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, the DS…
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