Intelligence agency interrogated Okey Ndibe regarding 2013 surveillance listing – Insider

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Prof. Okey-Ndibe

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By Luminous Jannamike

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Fresh details emerged on Monday night over the airport encounter between the Department of State Services, DSS, and Prof. Okey Ndibe, with a source familiar with the matter dismissing reports that the renowned writer was arrested or detained and insisting that he left the airport less than 30 minutes after a routine security engagement.

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The account challenges earlier claims that Ndibe was detained by the DSS, indicating instead that the encounter was linked to an existing watch-list record and formed part of an ongoing review process within the agency.

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Sources familiar with the development said Ndibe arrived in Nigeria from the United States at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday and was briefly questioned by security officials as part of standard border-control procedures.

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The source said: “Upon arrival from the United States, today June 1, at 11.30am, he was routinely questioned in line with international best practices at the border control.

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“Prof Ndibe, according to the source, departed the airport barely 30 minutes after procedural engagement.

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“The DSS action, according to the source, stems from a Watch-List Action (WLA), which was initiated on him in 2013 during President Jonathan’s administration but has recently been downgraded by the present DG DSS.”

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It was further gathered that the current DSS leadership had directed a review of longstanding watch-list records, with part of the process involving engagement with affected individuals as a step towards their eventual removal from the list.

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