The Federal Government has denied generating 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 in a tweet on Tuesday in reaction to a media report by an online publication (not Reporters At Large).
The publication alleged that the Nigerian authorities have started collating a no-fly list of Nigerians that energised the #EndSARS protest last month.
Reacting, @MinOfInteriorNG wrote, “The Ministry of Interior did not, has not and will not generate any no-fly list. Ignore fake news, please!”
Reporters At Large had earlier reported that the Nigeria Immigration Service on Monday prevented a promoter of the #EndSARS movement, Modupe Odele, from travelling.
Although 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, Oby Ezekwesili, said she has written the National Security Adviser, Babagana Mungono, over the matter.
Ezekwesili tweeted, “Today, I have written to Babagana Mungono, 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.”
