We acted on EFCC’s order to seize Odili’s passport, Immigration tells court

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Friday told a Federal High court in Abuja on Friday that it seized the international passport of a former Rivers State governor, Sir Peter Odili, on the order of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The service said it did not act on its own, praying the court to therefore dismiss the suit instituted by the former governor.

Counsel to the Immigration, Jimoh Adamu, while defending the action of his clients tendered a letter by EFCC, instructing Immigration to seize the passport because Odili was on the watch list for some infractions.

Adamu also asked the court to reject the case because the name on the seized international passport did not correspond with the name of Peter Odili that instituted the court case.

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Odili’s passport was on June 20, 2021 seized from him by operatives of the Immigration Service upon his arrival from a trip to the United Kingdom and has since been witheld.

Justice Inyang Ekwo has however fixed October 18 for judgment in Odili’s suit challenging the seizure of his international passport by the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Justice Ekwo fixed the date after taking arguments from Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) whonrepresents the former governor and Adamu for the defendant.