Renowned human rights lawyer Festus Ogun has strongly condemned the arrest of controversial crossdresser Okuneye Idris, known as Bobrisky, by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Ogun expressed his outrage on Facebook, emphasizing that denying a Nigerian citizen the right to leave the country without a legal basis is fundamentally wrong.
He pointed out that there are currently no charges against Bobrisky, asserting that he is entitled to freedom of movement and personal liberty as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.
Ogun stated: “The Nigerian Immigration Service’s recent arrest of Bobrisky while he was traveling out of Nigeria on the grounds that ‘he is a person of interest over recent issues of public concern’ is arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional. Denying a Nigerian citizen the right to leave his country without a legal basis is entirely wrongful.”
He further questioned the legitimacy of the arrest, asking, “What exactly is the alleged offense that would warrant his arrest and continuous harassment? What is the legal justification for denying him the right to freedom of movement and personal liberty?”
Ogun warned against allowing such actions to set a dangerous precedent, stating that if the NIS is permitted to infringe on citizens’ fundamental rights without legal grounds, it could lead to broader restrictions, particularly against journalists, activists, and vocal critics of the government.
He concluded with a stark warning: “We must avert this perilous precedent. Lest we all become at risk. May the shovel we call a spoon today not be used to dig our graves.”
Bobrisky was intercepted by the NIS at the Sème border on Monday while attempting to leave the country, and he reportedly spent Monday night at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) annex in Alagbon, Lagos.