DSS denies arresting Okey Ndibe, says airport interaction was for watchlist review

Crime Diary

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied reports that it arrested or detained renowned Nigerian novelist and academic, Okey Ndibe, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, the Service said Ndibe was neither arrested nor detained on June 1, 2026, as widely reported.

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According to the DSS, the interaction with the author was part of an ongoing review of old Watch-List Actions (WLAs), some of which date back to the military era.

The Service explained that the current Director-General had ordered a review of legacy watchlists to prevent citizens from being unnecessarily embarrassed and to facilitate the eventual removal of outdated entries.

It disclosed that Ndibe had been on its watchlist since Jan. 29, 2013, but that his case had since been reviewed and downgraded.

The DSS said the airport engagement was a routine step toward the final delisting of his name from the watchlist.

“After barely an hour of interaction with the Service, he was cleared and escorted,” the statement said.

The agency also noted that Ndibe, in a social media post following the encounter, acknowledged the professional and courteous conduct of its operatives.

The DSS said several Nigerians, including journalists, had benefited from the ongoing watchlist review process, citing the delisting of media executive Lanre Arogundade in May 2025 after more than a decade on the list.

The Service reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair treatment of citizens and urged individuals who believe they may still be affected by old watchlist entries to formally contact its headquarters for review.