Former Rivers Governor, Peter Odili has been placed on the watch list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.
Mr Adamu sought a brief adjournment to enable him put his house in order.
Mr Odili’s counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe did not oppose the request for a short adjournment.
Justice Mohammed then adjourned the matter until Sept. 28 for hearing.
The former governor had dragged the NIS and it’s Comptroller-General to the Federal High Court, challenging the seizure of his passport at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja for undisclosed reasons.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit, he claimed that the international passport with number B50031305 was seized from him on June 20 by operatives of the service.
Mr Odili prayed the court to compel the two respondents to release the passport to him.
He also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction against the service from further harassing, embarrassing, intimidating or interfering with his fundamental right to freedom of movement.
It is the government’s policy that streamlines the security agencies present at the point of entry/exit from the country.
“All security agencies collaborate by submitting list of any person on the watch list to the respondents
“By virtue of Section 31 of the Immigration Act 2015, the respondents are empowered to prevent the departure from Nigeria where there is a request to arrest such a person in the public interest as requested in the instant case by the EFCC.
“By the above section of the Immigration Act, the respondents are empowered to seize the applicant’s international passport because he was watch listed sequel to EFCC requested,” it said.
The NIS argued that Mr Odili’s suit was pre-mature as he allegedly failed to meet the condition precedent to the filing of such suits.
“The applicant is not entitled to the reliefs sought and the suit should be dismissed with substantial cost for failure to comply with condition precedent,” the service said.
NAN
