FG Denies Placing #EndSARS Protesters on ‘No-fly’ List

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

The federal government has denied the allegation that it generated a ‘no-fly’ list of youths and persons who participated in the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality.

The Federal Ministry of Interior made this known yesterday in a tweet.

There was an allegation that the federal government has collated a ‘no-fly’ list of Nigerians that championed the #EndSARS protest last month.

But in a swift response, @MinOfInteriorNG wrote: “The Ministry of Interior did not, has not and will not generate any no-fly list. Ignore fake news, please!”

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) had Monday prevented a promoter of the #EndSARS movement, Ms. Modupe Odele, from travelling.

However, the officers did not disclose the reason for their action.

It is believed that the action was taken because of her alleged role in the #EndSARS protests.

Odele had through her Twitter handle, @Mochievous, mobilised her 219,000 followers during the protests.

She had also offered free legal aid to persons who were unjustly arrested during the demonstrations.

Confirming the development in a newsletter sent out on Monday, the lawyer said she was on her way to the Maldives to celebrate her birthday when she was accosted by immigration officers.

Odele said she was detained while her passport was seized by the officers and she was made to miss her flight.

The revelation sparked outrage on Twitter with thousands calling on the authorities to stop harassing Odele.

A former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said she has written the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mungono (rtd), over the matter.

Ezekwesili tweeted, “Today, I have written to Babagana Monguno, the National Security Adviser of @MBuhari @NGRPresident to immediately retrieve Modupe Odele’s passport from the SSS and publicly apologise for trampling on her freedoms. Maybe they’ll be wise this time. We’ll wait and see.”