SERAP condemns detention of novelist Okey Ndibe by DSS operatives in Lagos

Crime Diary

LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — The Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has strongly condemned the reported arbitrary detention of Nigerian novelist and author Okey Ndibe by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

According to SERAP, Ndibe was detained shortly after landing from the United States and later released when officials claimed that the officer handling his case file had travelled out of the country.

In a statement posted on its official X handle, SERAP described the incident as part of an escalating crackdown on human rights under the Tinubu administration, citing growing use of the DSS to harass and intimidate critics, activists, and civil society organisations. The group insisted that detaining writers or journalists for peacefully exercising their rights is “patently unlawful and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.”

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SERAP urged the government to clarify the legal basis for Ndibe’s detention, ensure transparency, and guarantee that security agencies do not misuse their powers against citizens. It also called on the United Nations and the African Union to publicly condemn the incident and remind Nigeria of its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The organisation emphasised that freedom of expression and protection from arbitrary detention are guaranteed under sections 39 and 35 of the Nigerian Constitution, respectively, and demanded that the government provide Ndibe with access to justice and effective remedies.

SERAP urged the Tinubu government to end the harassment of writers, journalists, and activists, ensure accountability for rights violations, and uphold Nigeria’s international reputation as a democracy that respects civil liberties.

Activist and AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, in a statement on Monday, described the incident as “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.”