Renowned human rights lawyer Festus Ogun has condemned the Nigerian Immigration Service’s arrest of controversial crossdresser Okuneye Idris, popularly known as Bobrisky.
Ogun expressed his outrage on Facebook, arguing that denying any Nigerian citizen the right to leave the country without legal grounds is fundamentally wrong. He highlighted that Bobrisky faces no charges and is entitled to freedom of movement and personal liberty as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.
In his statement, Ogun described the Immigration Service’s actions as “arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional,” questioning the rationale behind Bobrisky’s arrest, which was cited as being due to him being a “person of interest over recent issues of public concern.”
He further emphasized, “Denying a Nigerian citizen the right to leave his country without a legal basis is entirely wrongful. There are no charges currently pending against Bobrisky. What exactly is the alleged offense that would warrant his arrest and continuous harassment?”
Ogun warned against allowing such practices, suggesting that it could lead to broader restrictions on citizens’ rights, particularly for journalists and activists.
The Nigerian Immigration Service had intercepted Bobrisky at the Sème border on Monday while he was attempting to leave the country.
