The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 18 for judgment in a suit instituted by former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili challenging the seizure of his international passport by the Nigeria Immigration Service.
Justice Ekwo fixed the date on Friday after taking arguments from both counsels.
Counsel for the former governor, Ifedayo Adedipe while Prayed the court to order the respondents to return the international passport of his client on the grounds that it was unlawfully seized from him.
The lawyer noted that Odili’s right was violated by the immigration service because no court granted any order for his client’s passport seizure.
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He prayed the court to discountenance the claim of the respondent that Odili was on the watchlist of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission adding that his client had not been interrogated and no criminal charge instituted against him.
Adedipe also asked the court to reject a letter from the EFCC exhibited by immigration to justify the seizure of the passport adding that the purported letter can not take the place of an order of a law court.
However, the lawyer for the immigration service Adamu, urged the court to dismiss Odili’s suit on the grounds that the passport was seized because he is on the watch list of the anti-graft agency.
Justice Ekwo therefore adjourned to October 18 for judgment
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
