LAGOS, Nigeria — Amnesty International has condemned the detention of Nigerian writer and journalist Okey Ndibe at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport, describing it as part of a troubling pattern of silencing critical voices in the country.
Ndibe, a longtime critic of successive Nigerian governments, was stopped by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after arriving from the United States on Monday. He said officials accused him of entering the country “suspiciously” and pressed him to reveal his travel plans and contacts before eventually releasing him several hours later. The DSS later insisted the encounter was nothing more than a “routine security engagement,” a claim Amnesty International dismissed as implausible.
Ndibe has long been a target of government harassment. He was arrested in 2011, 2013, and 2017 over his criticism of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. His name was placed on a government watchlist, which critics say has been used to harass journalists, writers, and opposition figures. Ndibe, author of the acclaimed novel Foreign Gods, Inc., is also a former editor of African Commentary, a magazine founded by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. His essays and columns have frequently challenged corruption, authoritarianism, and human rights abuses in Nigeria.
Human rights groups and activists quickly condemned the latest detention. Omoyele Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, described it as “yet another disturbing sign of the shrinking civic space under the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime.” He added, “From the harassment of journalists, activists, and dissenting voices to the increasing use of state institutions to intimidate critics, the pattern has reached an intolerable level that must be totally resisted.” The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) also criticized the DSS, warning that such actions erode public trust and violate constitutional protections. International watchdogs including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have raised similar concerns in recent years, pointing to growing attacks on press freedom in Nigeria.
The arrest sparked outrage across social media. One user wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “A government that fears criticism inevitably fears democracy itself.” Another commented: “Okey Ndibe is a respected voice. Silencing him is silencing millions who believe in free speech.” A Facebook post that went viral read: “Nigeria cannot continue to treat writers and journalists as enemies of the state.” Hashtags such as #FreeSpeech, #OkeyNdibe, and #EndDSSHarassment trended in Nigeria, with many users demanding accountability from the Tinubu administration.
Amnesty International reminded the government of its obligations under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and international law to protect freedom of expression and association. “Rather than obsessing over silencing critical voices, the Nigerian government should be facilitating open debate and protecting the rights of its citizens,” the group said.
A.M. Archibong Esq., a renowned U.S. based international attorney who described Ndibe as a close friend added his voice to the condemnation. “Routine security or routine intimidation? That is the question Nigerians must ask. The detention and continuous harassment of Professor Ndibe by the DSS is unacceptable and must stop. He is a national treasure and the pride of Nigeria as a nation. Such a highly honoured and revered personality in the United States being treated so poorly in Nigeria is, to put it mildly, insulting to Nigerians. Although Ndibe has been released, we demand that the DSS must stop this harassment of Nigerian intellectuals. It is sad that we admire American exceptionalism and belittle Nigerian exceptionalism,” Archibong said.
Ndibe’s detention underscores the tension between Nigeria’s democratic aspirations and its recurring authoritarian practices. Analysts warn that continued harassment of journalists and activists could further damage Nigeria’s global reputation and weaken its democratic institutions.
