“If wearing a T-shirt is capable of undermining national security then there’s no civil space again in Nigeria. We will soon get to the point where our thoughts would be censored and we’ll be held for it.”
The news of the arrest of journalist and rights activist Dr Chido Onumah by operatives of Nigeria’s Department of State Services, DSS, for wearing a Biafra T-shirt, has provoked outrage in the country. Onumah was on his way from Sweden through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja when he was arrested.
In an interview with Afrolife, Onumah said he was asked why he was holding a Nigerian passport if he was a Biafran. He denied being a Biafran and told them there was no country like that and he is a Nigerian. As the interrogation was going on, the operatives’ eyes, according to Onumah, were on the T-shirt he had on. It was then he realised the situation has to do with the inscription on the T-shirt.
“I explained it’s the title of my book, ‘We are all Biafrans which was published in 2016 but they had no interest in that.”
“They asked a few questions and obviously some people had issues with the inscription and had contacted the DSS, claiming I was part of a group that was planning to foment trouble in the country which I refuted because there was nothing like that.”
The DSS operatives alleged they had gotten wind of what Onumah was wearing from passengers he had flown with, pointing out that they had to detain him for his own safety as he may become object of attack in the city.
The activist who said he was unflustered throughout his ordeal, wondered how a T-shirt could make him a subject of a mob attack. According to him, he has been wearing that T- shirt since the publication of his book.
“If wearing a T-shirt is capable of undermining national security then there’s no civil space again in Nigeria. We will soon get to the point where our thoughts would be censored and we’ll be held for it.”
Onumah who recently bagged his doctorate degree has been involved in activism for decades. He believes in a restructured Nigeria and he is not linked with any Biafran group both local and abroad. The journalist was held for about 6 hours before being let off and not after being asked to pull off the “offensive T-shirt.”
The DSS in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya said,”the Department of State Security, DSS, wishes to make clarifications regarding media reports that Dr Chido Onumah was arrested by the Service. To set the records right, Onumah was never arrested by the Service. He was rather engaged in an interaction during which an act of his capable of undermining public order and national security was explained to him.”
The statement continued that “On his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on 29th September, 2019, it was discovered that Onumah wore a T-shirt with WE ARE ALL BIAFRANS inscription on it. With credible intelligence that he might be a subject of mob attack if allowed to go into town in same cloth, the Service invited him and drew his attention to the implications of his probable (un)intended action.”
In an interview with Afrolife, Onumah said he was asked why he was holding a Nigerian passport if he was a Biafran. He denied being a Biafran and told them there was no country like that and he is a Nigerian. As the interrogation was going on, the operatives’ eyes, according to Onumah, were on the T-shirt he had on. It was then he realised the situation has to do with the inscription on the T-shirt.
“I explained it’s the title of my book, ‘We are all Biafrans which was published in 2016 but they had no interest in that.”
“They asked a few questions and obviously some people had issues with the inscription and had contacted the DSS, claiming I was part of a group that was planning to foment trouble in the country which I refuted because there was nothing like that.”
The DSS operatives alleged they had gotten wind of what Onumah was wearing from passengers he had flown with, pointing out that they had to detain him for his own safety as he may become object of attack in the city.
The activist who said he was unflustered throughout his ordeal, wondered how a T-shirt could make him a subject of a mob attack. According to him, he has been wearing that T- shirt since the publication of his book.
“If wearing a T-shirt is capable of undermining national security then there’s no civil space again in Nigeria. We will soon get to the point where our thoughts would be censored and we’ll be held for it.”
Onumah who recently bagged his doctorate degree has been involved in activism for decades. He believes in a restructured Nigeria and he is not linked with any Biafran group both local and abroad. The journalist was held for about 6 hours before being let off and not after being asked to pull off the “offensive T-shirt.”
The DSS in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya said,”the Department of State Security, DSS, wishes to make clarifications regarding media reports that Dr Chido Onumah was arrested by the Service. To set the records right, Onumah was never arrested by the Service. He was rather engaged in an interaction during which an act of his capable of undermining public order and national security was explained to him.”
The statement continued that “On his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on 29th September, 2019, it was discovered that Onumah wore a T-shirt with WE ARE ALL BIAFRANS inscription on it. With credible intelligence that he might be a subject of mob attack if allowed to go into town in same cloth, the Service invited him and drew his attention to the implications of his probable (un)intended action.”
