You’ve learnt nothing from #EndSARS protests, Ezekwesili berates FG over seizure of protester’s passport, freezing of accounts

A former Minister of Education and c-covener of Bring Back Our Girls (#BBOG) Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has condemned the seizure of the international passport of one of the promoters of the #EndSARS movement, Miss Modupe Odele at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

She also lamented that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has failed to learn any lesson from the #EndSARS protests that swept across the nation.

It will be recalled that Miss Odele’s was reportedly stopped at the MMIA from travelling to the Maldives for her birthday by the officials of the NIS, claiming order from above, while bank accounts belonging several frontrunners of the #ENDSARS protests have been reportedly placed on ‘Post No Debit’ (PND) on the orders of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The former minister, who condemned the acts in a series of tweets on her Twitter handle on Wednesday, insisted that Nigeria is not under military regime but a constitutional democracy, which gives the government no right to carry out such punitive actions without recourse to the rule of law.

She tweeted: ”While other nations are trying to figure out their Post-COVID19 priorities and strategies, what do you think our own country is doing? Well, Buhari is busy with repressive acts against his young citizens who merely asked to be allowed to live by the Police he supervises.

Read also: Lagos police boss wants posthumous promotion for officers killed during #EndSARS protests

“We are a constitutional democracy and actions must be anchored on the Rule of Law. Miss Odele’s passport cannot be seized by NAIA Comptroller of Immigration on the “order” of Nigerian Army without an Order granted by a court of the land. We are not a military state, Buhari.

“I’m grateful to Femi Falana, SAN for always being available to take on cases of gross injustice against our citizens. Miss Modupe Odele @Mochievous is not standing alone. Millions of sensible Nigerians are standing with her. She and her peers gave Hope on what Nigeria could be.

“If the repressive acts of illegally seizing a citizen’s passport and freezing others’ bank accounts are meant to intimidate the young #EndSARS protesters into silence, it means Buhari government learnt no lesson from hiring thugs to break their protests. How pitiful.”

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