No fewer than 12
close aides of former President Goodluck Jonathan have been stripped of
their official passports.This comes two months after they left power.
Saturday Vanguard reports that ,a competent source said that the
decision to withdraw the official passports of the former aides of Dr
Jonathan was to prevent misuse and conflict with new aides and officials
of President Muhammadu Buhari, who assumed duties on May 29, 2015.
It could not be established last night whether the affected officials
were ordered by the Presidency to surrender the passports or whether
they did so voluntarily.
But Saturday Vanguard learned that the affected former aides of Jonathan
had already returned the passports to the Presidential Villa
preparatory to being handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service,
NIS.
Among those
whose passports have been retrieved are former Special Adviser to the
President on Media Reuben Abati; former Aide-de-Camp, Col. Ojogbane
Adegbe and former Chief Security Officer, Gordon Obua, who is currently
hospitalised over poor health arising from his recent incarceration by
security agents.
Nine other key officials of the Jonathan Presidency who were also issued
with official passports have also been stripped of the travel
documents.
It was gathered that the former officials had been asked by the
Presidency to relinquish their official passports to the Villa within a
stipulated time-frame for onward return to the NIS, which issued them.
However, another source hinted that the withdrawal of the former
president’s henchmen’s travel documents was to prevent some of them who
have some issues to explain to the new administration from leaving the
country and being given preferential treatment at their destinations.
“Don’t forget that some of these officials may be needed here to answer some questions relating to their tenure,” the source said.
However, the Nigerian Immigration Service said last night that there was
no ill-motive in withdrawing the official passports of government
officials who had completed their assignments.
NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joachim Obua, explained that it was
normal for officials of government to surrender their official passports
at the end of their tenure.
“It is important for the position to be made clear that official passports are not the property of anyone holding it. Once you complete your assignment you have to return it to the NIS,” he explained.
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