DSS denies arrest of Okey Ndibe, explains watchlist review at Lagos airport

The Department of State Services (DSS) has clarified that it did not arrest or detain Professor Okey Ndibe at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on June 1, 2026, or at any other location that day.

The clarification was contained in a statement posted on X by Favour Dozie, Deputy Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Department of State Services.

According to the agency, the encounter with the professor was part of an ongoing review of old Watch-List Actions (WLAs), some of which date back to Nigeria’s military era.

The DSS explained that the current Director-General ordered a comprehensive review of such records upon assuming office to ensure that citizens are not subjected to unnecessary embarrassment due to outdated entries on the watchlist.

It noted that individuals previously placed on watchlists are routinely engaged during transit as part of a standard process aimed at reviewing and possibly downgrading their status, as a precursor to eventual delisting in line with international best practices.

The process, the Service added, involves assessing individuals’ travel history, past records, and current activities to determine whether the original reasons for their watchlisting remain valid.

The DSS disclosed that many Nigerians, including journalists, have benefited from the exercise. It cited the case of Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), whose name was removed from the watchlist in May 2025 after over a decade.

It further revealed that Prof. Ndibe had been on the watchlist since January 29, 2013, but his case has now been reviewed and downgraded.

The interaction at the airport, which lasted less than an hour, was aimed at facilitating his final delisting.

“He was subsequently cleared and escorted,” the statement noted, adding that Ndibe himself acknowledged the professionalism and courteous conduct of DSS operatives in a social media post.

Reaffirming its commitment to fairness and the rule of law, the DSS stated that the review process would continue to ensure that all Nigerians are treated with respect and in accordance with legal provisions.

The agency also urged individuals who believe they may still be affected by existing watchlist actions to formally contact its National Headquarters to support the ongoing review and delisting process.–