Deji Adeyanju urges former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai to challenge the DSS seizure of his international passport in court
Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called on former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai to pursue legal action instead of creating public controversy over the seizure of his international passport.
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Adeyanju said El-Rufai should challenge the confiscation in court and establish whether security agencies had a lawful basis for their action.
“Yes, the DSS has the right to seize El-Rufai’s passport under the law. Section 2 of the DSS Instrument, pursuant to the NSA Act, gives them that power,” Adeyanju explained.
He noted, however, that passport seizures must respect citizens’ rights of ingress and egress.
He referenced a previous case involving Olisa Agbakoba, where the activist successfully challenged the DSS in court.
Adeyanju outlined the circumstances under which a passport may be seized: either as a condition set by a court, for example during a trial where bail requires the surrender of a passport, or when a citizen is on a security watchlist, such as one issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“When somebody is declared wanted, security agencies at points of entry or exit may seize the passport. But El-Rufai is aggrieved, and the best way forward is not to make noise in public but to challenge the seizure in court,” he said.
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Adeyanju’s comments come amid ongoing public debate over the legality of El-Rufai’s passport confiscation, highlighting the tension between security powers and individual constitutional rights in Nigeria.
