Court Fines CG Immigration, EFCC N15m For Placing Mrs Briggs On Travel Ban, Orders Apology In Two Dailies
A Federal High Court has declared the travel ban placed on foremost industrialist and businesswoman, Mrs Seinye Briggs by the Nigeria Immigration Service as illegal.
The court in its ruling on February 21, 2022 held that actions of the Controller General of Immigrations and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Seizing Mrs Briggs passport is in clear violation of Section 35 of the Constitution and therefore becomes null and void.
The court noted that travel ban placed on Mrs Briggs by way of a watchlist is a violation of her right to fair hearing as she was not allowed to make representations before being placed on the said ban.
The court therefore ordered the Director General of Immigrations, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the EFCC to pay the sum of fifteen million naira to Mrs Briggs as exemplary damages.
The court also asked each of the Respondents to publish an apology to Mrs Briggs in two national newspapers preferably Guardian or The Punch Newspapers.
