Going Nowhere? Ex-CBN gov., Sanusi’s passport seized on the ‘orders of the Presidency’, Reuben Abati reacts
It seems that despite a court order given in his favour, the persecution of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is yet to stop. Sanusi’s passport was seized by authorities at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano as he was about to board a Turkish airlines flight to France.
The former CBN governor, who arrived the airport with his family, handed over his passport to immigration officials only to find out that it had been seized. Sanusi is said to have stated that he was heading to France for a 2-week course after which he would proceed to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.
According to the former CBN governor, it was surprising for him to be told by the immigration that the SSS had, on orders from the Presidency, seized his passport.
“The court has ordered the federal government to return my passport and basically guarantee my fundamental human rights and the government is yet to return my passport that they seized,” he said.“We have shown them the court order and government seems not ready to obey the court order,” he said, adding that he could not force himself into boarding the plane, while describing the government’s action as a continuous harassment on his fundamental human right. Sanusi described the action as shameful since he has not been charged with any crime and has not been indicted of any offence and vowed to return to the court to seek justice.
He added that Nigeria is now a country where a citizen cannot travel simply because somebody from the Presidency says he shouldn’t travel.Reacting to the claim that the former CBN governor’s passport was seized on the orders of the Presidency, special adviser to the President on media, Dr. Reuben Abati, said it is unfair to drag the President into the matter.
He said that “your question is misdirected”, stating that the President has more important state matters to attend to than to be bothered on the movement of the former CBN governor. He however challenged Sanusi to name the Immigration officer who told him that the passport seizure was as a directive by the Presidency.
The former CBN governor, who arrived the airport with his family, handed over his passport to immigration officials only to find out that it had been seized. Sanusi is said to have stated that he was heading to France for a 2-week course after which he would proceed to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.
According to the former CBN governor, it was surprising for him to be told by the immigration that the SSS had, on orders from the Presidency, seized his passport.
“The court has ordered the federal government to return my passport and basically guarantee my fundamental human rights and the government is yet to return my passport that they seized,” he said.“We have shown them the court order and government seems not ready to obey the court order,” he said, adding that he could not force himself into boarding the plane, while describing the government’s action as a continuous harassment on his fundamental human right. Sanusi described the action as shameful since he has not been charged with any crime and has not been indicted of any offence and vowed to return to the court to seek justice.
He added that Nigeria is now a country where a citizen cannot travel simply because somebody from the Presidency says he shouldn’t travel.Reacting to the claim that the former CBN governor’s passport was seized on the orders of the Presidency, special adviser to the President on media, Dr. Reuben Abati, said it is unfair to drag the President into the matter.
He said that “your question is misdirected”, stating that the President has more important state matters to attend to than to be bothered on the movement of the former CBN governor. He however challenged Sanusi to name the Immigration officer who told him that the passport seizure was as a directive by the Presidency.
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