TheCable

Former minister of education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, says security agents have seized her international passport and prevented her from travelling to London Monday morning.

She later tweeted that the passport had been released and she was the last to board the British Airways flight.

The passport was seized by SSS operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, the leader of the Bring Back Our Girls movement had tweeted.

She was due to travel to the UK to appear on BBC TV programme, HARDtalk, apparently to discuss the activities of her movement which is campaigning for the rescue of hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok in April.

SSS recently said Bring Back Our Girls is an international franchise, accusing the group of being political and alleging that the leaders were soliciting funds around the world in order to continue its protests.

The group denied all the allegations, saying it cannot be intimidated.

Ezekwesili tweeted on Monday morning at 7.17am: “IS THIS A DEMOCRACY? I am being detained by the SSS @ Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport . The SSS has REFUSED to GIVE MY PASSPORT TO ME.”

She added at 7.48am: “On my way to London this morning for my @BBCHARDtalk appearance billed for TOMORROW and the SSS has DETAINED me by WITHHOLDING my PASSPORT.”

At 8.13am, she tweeted: “SSS has RELEASED IT. Just barely made the BA flight. Last to board @ 7.55 for an 8.00 am flight that is now taxiing. IS THIS A DEMOCRACY?”