The government of the United Kingdom has apologized to the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the last Nigerian general elections, Mr Peter Obi for wrongful detention and interrogation by immigration Officials at the Heathrow airport London.
They also said the uncomplimentary treatment he received was “completely unacceptable,” and issued a personal apology.
“Frankly, the Immigration Official’s action – has been appalling – and we are sorry,” Immigration authorities said.
“The immigration Officials Wrongly handed him a detention note in a search of man who impersonated him to commit perjury, forgery and identity theft.”
9news Nigeria had reported that While on the queue for the necessary airport protocols, the immigration officials handed Obi a detention note and told him to step aside.
Obi was reportedly harassed and detained by immigration officers at the airport for several hours.
The spokesman for the party’s Campaign Council, Diran Onifade made this known on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in a statement.
Onifade said the former governor of Anambra was detained and questioned for a duplication offence suggesting that someone must have been impersonating him in London.
The immigration officials were said to have accosted Obi when he arrived the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023.
“Since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as Obi could be implicated in a series of forbidden acts and even be framed in a manner that could be a huge embarrassment to him, his family, his party, the obidient Movement, and indeed Nigeria, where he currently and indisputably remains the conscience of the people”. Onifade said.