LAGOS, Nigeria — Renowned Nigerian novelist, columnist, and academic Professor Okey Ndibe was detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos following his arrival in the country.
The literary scholar, who currently teaches at his alma mater, the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the United States, was intercepted by airport security officials during routine border processing.
“Waiting for Clearance”
Speaking from airport custody where he was held for over an hour, Ndibe confirmed the development, noting that field operatives were waiting for direct orders from Abuja before granting his release.
“I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour,” Ndibe stated. “They’re waiting for clearance from some ọga [boss] before they let me go.”
The recurring incident traces back to past administrations, including that of President Goodluck Jonathan. Ndibe was originally blacklisted due to highly critical essays and columns targeting political leadership and systemic corruption in Nigeria.
A Database Frozen in Time
The professor has not published political commentary in the Nigerian media for two years, shifting his full attention to academic instruction and book authorship. Despite this, his name remains flagged on active border control watchlists.
C. Don Adinuba, a close associate of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, heavily criticized the secret police for its lack of administrative coordination.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable the officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat,” Adinuba said.
Systemic Pattern of False Flags
According to Adinuba, this lack of technical updates transforms every visit by the author into a predictable bureaucratic bottleneck.
- The Protocol: In previous encounters, local airport officials routinely held Ndibe until establishing direct contact with intelligence headquarters in Abuja.
- The Resolution: Once senior officials confirmed his non-threat status, the writer was routinely cleared to enter the country.
- The Apology: Adinuba pointed out that on each of these occasions, top-ranking agency officials subsequently apologized to Professor Ndibe for the wrongful detention.
The DSS has yet to issue an official statement regarding the timeline for updating its automated border control watchlist systems to prevent further false match delays.
