General
SERAP Rejects Travel Ban on 50 High-Profile Nigerians
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Executive Order preventing about 50 high-profile Nigerians from travelling out of the country has been described as illegal and repressive by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
A statement issued by the group disclosed that the move breaches 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.
“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 The ban should be immediately lifted and the order rescinded,” the organisation said.
Presidential spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu, had announced over the weekend the placement of 50 high-profile Nigerians on travel ban, citing the measure as part of the implementation of Presidential Executive Order Number 6.
The unnamed individuals will be banned from travelling outside the country pending the determination of their corruption cases in order to ensure that all assets within a minimum value of N50 million or equivalent, are not dissipated or tampered with.
But SERAP in a statement yesterday signed by its deputy director, Mr Timothy Adewale, noted that, “Rather than performing its declared objective of preventing dissipation of stolen assets, the travel ban would seriously undermine the government’s expressed commitment to combat grand corruption and violate the country’s international human rights obligations.
“The travel ban will play right into the hands of high-profile corrupt officials by feeding into the narrative that the fight against corruption is targeted only at political opponents.”
The statement read in part: “The travel ban and mass surveillance will distract the authorities from taking legitimate action to recover stolen assets, effectively punish high-ranking corrupt officials and portray the government as unwilling to embrace the rule of law in its fight against corruption, thereby making it difficult to obtain the necessary support and cooperation of countries keeping stolen assets.
“The travel ban 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. By alienating these partners, the government could lose access to important information and mutual legal assistance necessary to effectively recover stolen assets and bring corrupt officials to justice.
“Judicial affirmation of the legality of the Executive Order 6 doesn’t grant the government arbitrary powers to impose travel ban on anyone without following due process of law. Rather than imposing a travel ban, the authorities should take advantage of the provisions of the UN Convention against Corruption to seek mutual legal assistance with countries where investigations and litigation are ongoing by requesting them to apply preventive measures regarding assets covered by the travel ban.
“The authorities should also widely publish the names of the 50 Nigerians suspected to be involved, and submit those names to the countries/embassies of countries where the stolen assets are stashed. The authorities should issue a risk alert on alleged corrupt assets that are likely to be dissipated or tampered with by the high-profile Nigerians, seeking the cooperation of countries keeping the assets, and reminding them of their international obligations to prevent these Nigerians from tampering with stolen assets that are subject of ongoing investigations and litigation.
“We are concerned with the threats grand corruption and money laundering posed to the effective enjoyment of human rights of Nigerians, and agree with the authorities that grand corruption and impunity of perpetrators must be vigorously combated. But we believe that the fight against corruption will only succeed if it is based on due process of law and respect for human rights.
“If the objective the government seeks to achieve is to ensure stolen assets are not dissipated or that politically exposed persons do not interfere with ongoing investigation and prosecution of corruption cases, the appropriate legal response is for the authorities to pursue orders of temporary forfeiture and mutual legal assistance, and not a travel ban that would achieve nothing but violate citizens’ human rights.
“Nigeria is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which in article 12 guarantees the right of everyone to leave any country, including their own. The government cannot impose restrictions on this right unless any such restrictions are provided by law, are necessary to protect public order, or the rights of others. The travel restrictions on the alleged 50 corrupt Nigerians clearly do not meet these conditions.
“All restrictions on the right to leave must be narrowly interpreted. In General Comment No. 27, the Human Rights Committee stated that any restrictions must not impair the essence of the right and that the relationship of the norm to the exception must not be reversed.
“The travel ban cannot achieve the objective of depriving the 50 Nigerians suspected of corruption of their ill-gotten gains. It is absolutely important that the government is guided by the provisions of Article 31 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party, and which authorises states parties to take preliminary measures to seize, freeze or otherwise immobilise property for the purposes of confiscation/pending investigation and litigation.
“It is always important that the definition and interpretation of the law should be as certain as possible, and this is of particular importance in cases of corruption where citizens’ human rights may be at stake. We do not consider that such reasonable certainty can exist where the executive assumes patently judicial functions.
“The right to leave one’s country includes a positive duty on states such as Nigeria to issue documents – as well as a passive one – to refrain from placing obstacles in the way of an individual seeking to leave.”
By Dipo Olowookere
The ex-depot prices of two major petroleum products, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, have been slashed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
The company announced the reduction in prices of the products in a statement on Saturday evening.
The Lagos-based private refinery said its latest action was to reinforce its commitment to making refined petroleum products more affordable and supporting economic activities across Nigeria.
The cut in the prices of petrol and diesel by Dangote refinery comes as the global crude oil prices continue to moderate, amid expectations that the United States of America and Iran will agree on a ceasefire very soon and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
This narrow vessel passage accounts for 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil consumption. It has been closed for more than two months because of the Middle East crisis.
On February 28, 2026, America and Israel launched airstrikes in Iran, killing its Supreme Leader and other top government officials.
Iran fought back by attacking US bases in the Middle East, including in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and others. It also shut down the Strait of Hormuz, causing the price of oil to almost hit $120 per barrel.
The crisis faraway in the Middle East, rather than becoming a blessing to Nigeria, put citizens under untold hardship, as the price of petroleum products, especially PMS, jumped from around N800 per litre to almost N1,500 per litre.
On Friday, the price of Brent crude was about $94 per barrel, while the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was about $89 per barrel.
Ostensibly in response to this, the Dangote refinery has reduced the ex-depot price of petrol to N1,250 per litre from N1,275 per litre, while the price of diesel has been cut to N1,700 per litre from N1,800 per litre.
Since commencing operations, the 650,000 barrels per day refinery has increasingly supplied the domestic market with refined products aimed at eliminating the country’s dependence on imported fuels.
The company claimed it decided to slash the price to improve supply efficiency, deepen domestic refining, and provide cost relief to consumers and businesses that depend heavily on petroleum products for transportation, power generation and industrial operations.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), the umbrella body of customs agents in Nigeria, has petitioned President Bola Tinubu to compel the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to suspend the planned increase in shipping charges pending the review by the standing committee.
According to Mr Lucky Amiwero, the president of the body, in a letter to the President, the increase is a clear contravention of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in respect of local shipping charges between providers and users of shipping/Port and related service approved by the federal government.
The MoU under Articles 2(b)&4 clearly states that any other charges shall require agreement between the Parties concerned through the Nigerian Shippers Council, which must be complied with.
“In line with the provisions of Articles 2 and 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding, there is a need to follow the prescribed procedure as contained in the MOU. First is by submitting the information of the increase to the standing committee, including the detailed information, why the increase, and the percentage, to the standing committee for consideration and review of any increase
“We hereby request the suspension of any Local Shipping Charges increase, pending the review by the standing committee, which entails the detailed information of the increase, the Percentage (%), and if the Increase is necessary, to be sent to the standing Committee as approved by the Federal Government,” he said.
The official said the NSC were supposed to forward all detailed information on the increase in the local shipping charges to the standing committee, who are signatory to the MOU, and then to review in line with the approved federal government directive.
“We refer the government to the usual procedure of initiating an increase in local shipping charges. Notification of increase as proposed is always forwarded to the standing committee, reference 2003 NSC/TOD/FPS/011/VOL.V/54 OF 20TH JUNE, and NSC/TOD/FPS/011/VOL.35 OF 14TH April 2003 in line with article 2(b)&4 of the MOU.
“In line with Article 2(b)&4 of the memorandum of understanding, the request made by Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), which was forwarded to the Shippers Council and the Shippers Council forwarded the same to the technical standing committee for review,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The presidency has raised alarm over what it described as a growing pattern of digitally manipulated content aimed at exploiting religious sentiments for political purposes.
In a public service announcement issued by the Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy, it was disclosed that “deliberate attempts” to mislead Nigerians through deep fake videos and false narratives across online platforms had been identified.
According to the statement, a manipulated video surfaced on Tuesday, featuring altered audio and false attributions designed to portray President Bola Tinubu in a negative light.
It noted that a similar attempt followed shortly after, involving a fabricated video linked to a religious leader, allegedly intended to incite Muslim communities against the President.
The presidency said the recurring pattern suggests a coordinated effort to inflame religious tensions and sow division, particularly as political activities begin to intensify ahead of future elections.
It warned that “desperate actors” are likely to continue deploying misinformation tactics, including distorting religious messages, manipulating context, and spreading provocative content through social media and messaging platforms.
The presidency urged Nigerians to exercise caution before sharing sensitive or inflammatory content, encouraging citizens to question the motives behind such materials and to verify information through credible sources.
Describing the trend as “coordinated manipulation at scale,” it stressed that such actions are neither patriotic nor reflective of genuine political engagement.
The statement further warned that individuals and groups involved in the creation and dissemination of false information would be held accountable under relevant Nigerian laws, including those relating to cybercrime, incitement, and threats to public peace and national security.
It concluded by calling on citizens to remain vigilant and united in safeguarding the country’s social cohesion against digital disinformation.
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