The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project says the Federal Government’s Executive Order 6 banning 50 alleged high-profile corrupt Nigerians from travelling abroad is arbitrary, repressive and illegal.
It also said the order breached constitutional rights and the country’s international obligations which protect the rights to freedom of movement, to leave one’s country, to privacy, and to due process of law.
SERAP, in a statement yesterday by its deputy director, Timothy Adewale, said: “A travel ban by its nature is an interference with the right to leave one’s country. It is neither necessary nor proportionate to prevent dissipation of stolen assets or stop politically exposed persons (PEPs) from tampering with any such assets. The ban should be immediately lifted and the order rescinded.
The travel ban, according to SERAP, will also strain the government’s relationships with partner countries on whom it will inevitably rely for vital asset recovery cooperation, undermining the effort to bring them closer.
