Tobias Sylvester
The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has arrested another journalist, activist and critic of the regime, Chido Onumah.
According to TheCable, Onumah was arrested on Sunday evening by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja, when he returned to Nigeria from Spain where he recently bagged a doctorate in communication studies.
“We traveled together for a conference in UK. But we didn’t come back together because he went to Spain to finalize his PhD thesis and I went to London but got back last week Sunday,” a lawyer, Mart Obono said.
“He was just returning from the trip today when he was picked at the airport.”
His arrest was also confirmed by another lawyer named Mbaseki Martins-Obono, who said the government was doing everything to shrink civic space. The lawyer said:
“Chido Onumah has just been arrested by the DSS at Abuja International Airport.
“It is not clear what the offense is but it may not be unconnected with his book, ‘We Are All Biafrians’.
“The government is doing everything to shrink civic space but we will not let them.
“I was called by the person who was supposed to pick him up at the airport.”
Chido Onumah has just been arrested by the SSS at Abuja International Airport. It is not clear what the offense is but it may not be unconnected with his book, #WeAreAllBiafrians the govt is doing everything to shrink civic space but we not let them.
— M. M. Obono (@martobono) September 29, 2019
Onumah’s latest book was published in December 2018.
Onumah is a Nigerian/Canadian journalist, author, blogger and rights activist.
