Okey Ndibe, a distinguished writer and Nigerian public intellectual, based in the US was detained earlier today at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos upon his arrival from the United States by operatives of the lawless
@OfficialDSSNG
According to Prof.
@OkeyNdibe the secret police claimed that his arrival in Nigeria was "suspicious" and demanded that he disclose where he intended to go and whom he planned to visit. When it became clear that his detention could trigger public outrage, the DSS reportedly changed its position, claiming that the officer in charge of his "case file" had traveled out of the country and they were attempting to contact her. He was eventually released.
This incident is yet another disturbing sign of the shrinking civic space under the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime. From the harassment of journalists, activists, and dissenting voices to the increasing use of state institutions to intimidate critics, the pattern has reached an intolerable level that must be totally resisted.
Many Nigerians witnessed the controversial judgment against SERAP, the growing attacks on free expression, and numerous other violations of civil liberties. Press freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have also raised concerns about the treatment of journalists in recent years.
A government that fears criticism inevitably fears democracy itself.
#TINUBUMUSTGO