The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the reported detention of renowned Nigerian novelist and author, Okey Ndibe, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival in Nigeria, describing the action as arbitrary and a violation of fundamental human rights.
In a statement issued on Monday, SERAP said it “condemn[s] the reported arbitrary detention today of novelist and author Okey Ndibe by the Tinubu government upon his arrival in Nigeria.”
While noting reports that the author had since been released, the organisation insisted that “he should never have been detained in the first place simply for the peaceful exercise of his human rights.”
According to SERAP, “Okey Ndibe was detained by DSS (SSS) operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos upon his arrival from the United States.”
The group added that he “was reportedly later released after the agency stated that the officer handling his case file had travelled out of the country.”
SERAP argued that the incident reflects a broader pattern of repression under the current administration.
“Okey Ndibe’s detention forms part of an escalating crackdown on human rights in Nigeria, particularly the increasing use of the DSS (SSS) to harass, intimidate and target critics, human rights defenders, activists and civil society organisations for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly,” the statement said.
The organisation maintained that “detaining writers, journalists, activists or other critics solely for peacefully exercising their human rights is patently unlawful and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
It stressed that “no one should face harassment, intimidation or arbitrary detention because of their opinions, writing or peaceful criticism of those in power.”
SERAP further declared that “these authoritarian practices by the Tinubu government MUST END.”
The rights group called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to provide a full explanation for the incident.
“The Tinubu government must immediately clarify the legal basis for Mr Ndibe’s detention, ensure full transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident, and guarantee that the DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies do not misuse their powers to harass, intimidate or target individuals for peacefully exercising their human rights, including freedom of expression,” it said.
SERAP also demanded redress for the author, stating that “the government must provide Mr Ndibe access to justice and effective remedies.”
The organisation cited constitutional and international legal protections, noting that “freedom of expression is guaranteed under section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
According to SERAP, “These protections extend to opinions that may challenge, criticise or offend public authorities.”
It also emphasised that “arbitrary detention is prohibited under section 35 of the Nigerian Constitution, Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter.”
The group urged the government to uphold its obligations to citizens, saying, “The Tinubu government must respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of everyone in the country.”
It further called on authorities to “immediately end the harassment and intimidation of writers, journalists, activists and other peaceful critics; ensure accountability where rights have been violated; and provide effective guarantees of non-repetition.”
SERAP also appealed to international human rights bodies to intervene, saying: “The United Nations and African Union human rights mechanisms, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, should publicly condemn the arbitrary detention of Mr Ndibe and send a clear message to the Tinubu government that repression of Nigerians’ rights—including the harassment and intimidation of critics, activists, human rights defenders and civil society organisations—will carry serious consequences for Nigeria’s human rights standing and international reputation.”
