SSS berates Ezekwesili over airport arrest

Former Minister, Oby Ezekwesili
Ms. Ogar accuses Ezekwesili of feeling too big to subject herself to security checks

The Department of State Security (DSS) has taken a dig at the e former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, whom te agency implied is having an inflated sense of herself.

Ezekwesili was detained briefly on her waty to London where she is to apper in BBC programme HardTalk.

She was arrested and detained for about 30 minutes by security operatives at the Abuja airport early Monday.

Mrs. Ezekwesili is one of the leaders of the BringBackOurGirls campaign for the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

She was held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on her way to the United Kingdom for a scheduled engagement.

Operatives of the State Security Services seized her travelling documents without a formal explanation, and delayed her for about 30 minutes.

Mrs. Ezekwesili was later released after the arrest drew widespread condemnations on social media.

Responding to the arrest late Monday, thess SSS accused the former minister of arrogance and display of “unnecessary self-importance” in the face mounting security challenges in the country.

“I don't know why some people will sometimes arrogate to themselves unnecessary importance when we have serious security challenges in our hands,” a spokesperson for the department, Marilyn Ogar, said. “Government has asked the SSS to be at the airports. Statutorily, SSS clears all passengers travelling out or coming into the country.”

Mrs. Ezekwesili is one of the leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign group, which is pressurizing the Nigerian government to act more decisively and rescue the over 250 schoolgirls abducted by the extremist Boko Haram sect from their dormitory at Chibok, Borno state over three months ago.