By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja.
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday in Abuja applied for leave of the federal high court to file fresh evidence against former Rivers State governor, Dr Peter Odili, over the seizure of his travelling passport.
Odili’s passport was on June 20, 2021 seized from him by operatives of the NIS upon his arrival from a trip to the United Kingdom, and the travelling document has since been withheld.
The agency later predicated its action on the ground that Odili was placed on a watchlist by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) over alleged economic issues.
Odili has since dragged the NIS and its Comptroller-General (CG) before the federal high court seeking order of the court to compel the release of the passport to him.
However, when the matter came up on Tuesday, counsel to NIS and its CG, Mr Jimoh Abdulkair Adamu, informed the court that his clients are willing to file fresh evidence against the ex-gobernor.
Adamu specifically told Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo that the Service and the CG intend to file a better and further counter-affidavit to justify the seizure of the passport.
Counsel to Dr Odili, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in his own arguments said he will file better and further affidavit in support of the originating summons filed for his client.
Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo in a brief ruling fixed Friday October 8 for further hearing in the matter and ordered the two lawyers to file and exchange all their processes ahead of the date.
The NIS had also filed counter-affidavit to oppose the suit of the former governor and served same on Odili as required by law.
Odili is the husband of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court.
In the fundermental rights enforcement suit, Odili claimed that the international passport with numbers B50031305 was seized from him on June 20, 2021 by operatives of the Service at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and has since been withheld.
Odili averred that on his arrival, his traveling documents were checked and given back to him and that while waiting for his luggage, an official of NIS demanded for the passport for a routine check which he complied with, but that the document has since been withheld.
He claimed to be a senior citizen of Nigeria, law-abiding, and had not done anything to warrant the seizure of the passport from him.
Odili prayed the court to compel the two respondents to release the passport to him and for an order of perpetual injunction against the respondents from further harrassing, embarrassing, intimidating or interfering with his fundermental right to freedom of movement.
The former governor also demanded a written apology for the embarrassment caused him by the Immigration