Jonathan’s aides, Abati, Adegbe, Obua, others stripped of passports

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
TWO months after leaving power,  no fewer than 12 close
aides of former President Goodluck Jonathan have been
stripped of their official passports.
A competent source told Saturday Vanguard that the
decision to withdraw the official passports of the former
aides of Dr Jonathan was to prevent misuse and conflict
with new aides and officials of President Muhammadu
Buhari, who assumed duties on May 29, 2015.
It
could
not
be
established last night whether the affected officials were
ordered by the Presidency to surrender the passports or
whether they did so voluntarily.
But Saturday Vanguard learned that the affected former
aides of Jonathan had already returned the passports to the
Presidential Villa preparatory to being handed over to the
Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.
Abati, Adegbe, Obua, 9 others affected
Among those whose passports have been retrieved are
former Special Adviser to the President on Media Reuben
Abati; former Aide-de-Camp, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe and
former Chief Security Officer, Gordon Obua, who is
currently hospitalised over poor health arising from his
recent incarceration by security agents.
Nine other key officials of the Jonathan Presidency who
were also issued with official passports have also been
stripped of the travel documents.
It was gathered that the former officials had been asked by
the Presidency to relinquish their official passports to the
Villa within a stipulated time-frame for onward return to the
NIS, which issued them.
Questions to answer
However, another source hinted that the withdrawal of the
former president’s henchmen’s travel documents was to
prevent some of them who have some issues to explain to
the new administration from leaving the country and being
given preferential treatment at their destinations.
“Don’t forget that some of these officials may be needed
here to answer some questions relating to their tenure,” the
source said.
No ill-motive –NIS
However, the Nigerian Immigration Service said last night
that there was no ill-motive in withdrawing the official
passports of  government officials who had completed their
assignments.
NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joachim Obua, explained
that it was normal for officials of government to surrender
their official passports at the end of their tenure.
“It is important for the position to be made clear that official
passports are not the property of anyone holding it. Once
you complete your assignment you have to return it to the
NIS,” he explained.

Source : Vanguard