President Buhari's travel ban list, explained

It’s okay if you are still trying to wrap your head around what Buhari's travel ban is all about.

This article will explain the talking points and the grey areas of the ban and lay it all bare in the simplest manner possible.

What is Executive Order 6?

On Saturday, 13th October 2016, President Buhari issued an Executive Order which has now been called Executive Order 6 (EO6 for short).

The president’s latest order affects persons his administration is prosecuting in court for alleged corruption.

EO6 bars about 50 high profile Nigerians from travelling outside of the nation's shores until their cases have been heard and determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

EO6 was first published on July 5, 2018.

The travel ban list initially contained the names of about 155 persons, institutions and groups who are being tried for various offences ranging from money laundering, embezzlement of official funds to drug trafficking.

Presidency says the ban is part of the fight against corruption

The presidency calls EO6 “a paradigm changing policy of the federal government

President Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, says the travel ban became necessary in order to successfully tackle endemic corruption in Africa’s most populous country.

According to Shehu: “President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to implement the Order in full force.

“To this end, a number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list and restricted them from leaving the county pending the determination of their cases”.

Shehu adds that the “financial transactions of these persons of interest are also being monitored by relevant agencies to ensure the assets are not dissipated and that such persons do not interfere with the investigation and litigation processes.”

Who are the Nigerians on this travel ban list?

The federal government is yet to make the list of 50 Nigerians on the travel ban list public.

However, newspaper has a roll call of 35 Nigerians which it claims are on this list.

The newspaper listed some of the names on the travel ban list as former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), ex-governors Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); and Ibrahim Shehu Shema (Katsina).

Others include former ministers Nenadi Usman, Bashir Yuguda, Jumoke Akinjide; Bala Mohammed; Abba Moro; Femi Fani-Kayode; and Ahmadu Fintiri.

The rest are a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; ex- Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral A. D. Jibrin; a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar; a former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero; and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Chairman Emeritus of AIT/ Raypower, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Waripamowei Dudafa (a former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan); a former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike; a former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.

Also on the list are a former national publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh; Chief Jide Omokore; Ricky Tarfa; and Dele Belgore (SAN), according to The Nation.

But the presidency has denied the list above.

A draconian move from Buhari?

A couple of human rights lawyers like Femi Falana and Mike Ozekhome have greeted President Buhari’s travel ban list with suspicion, calling it undemocratic, obnoxious, barbaric and arbitrary.

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the PDP, says the travel ban list reinforces its perception of Buhari as a fascist.

"This is a draconian step clearly targeted at members of the opposition parties, perceived political enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari, well-meaning Nigerians, including members of the business community, religious leaders, former political leaders and traditional rulers, who are perceived to be averse to President Buhari’s re-election bid," PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan cried out.

Ologbondiyan added that "the whole world can now see how fascism is fast taking over our democracy and judicial system and how the Buhari administration, by fiat, has directly ordered that citizens be secretly trailed, their movements and financial transactions restricted by government agencies, without recourse to due process of the law”.

However, the presidency says E06 will be executed within the ambit of the rule of law and that it is not a tool to persecute political opponents.

“The Buhari administration reassures all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians of its commitment to the fight against corruption, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the general principles of the Rule of Law.

“Accordingly, this administration will uphold the rule of law in all its actions and the right of citizens would be protected as guaranteed by the constitution”, the presidency said.