The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, to grant it leave to file fresh evidence against a former Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili, in relation to why his travelling passport was seized.
The two-term governor of Rivers State had dragged the NIS and its Comptroller General before the court, challenging the seizure of his password at the Nnamdi Azikwe International airport in Abuja for undisclosed reasons.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit, Odili had claimed that the international passport with numbers B50031305 was seized from him on June 20, 2021, by operatives of the Immigration Service and has since been withheld.
On the last adjourned date, the agency informed the court that the passport was seized on the ground that Odili was placed on the watch list by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) over alleged economic issues.
At the resumption of the trial, yesterday, counsel to the agency, Mr Jimoh Abdulkair Adamu, informed the court that his clients are willing to file fresh evidence as well as a better and further counter affidavit to justify their action.
Responding, counsel to Odili, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe SAN, said he will file better and further affidavit in support of the originating summons filed for his client.
In a bench ruling, Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo, ordered parties in the matter to file and exchange all their processes ahead of the next adjourned date.
Consequently, the court adjourned till Friday, October 8, for further hearing in the matter.