Peter Obi detained at London airport over impersonation concerns

Labour Party candidate in the February 25 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, was detained by immigration officials upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023.

According to a statement from Diran Onifade, Head of the Obi-Datti media team, Mr. Obi was handed a detention note and questioned for a long time, which was unusual for someone who had lived in the UK for over a decade.

The incident caused a stir as Mr. Obi is well-known not only in Nigeria but also among Africans at home and in the diaspora.

“The people quickly raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed,” Onifade said.

It was later revealed that Mr. Obi was being questioned for a duplication offense, meaning that someone had been impersonating him in London.

“The immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal that Obi was being questioned for a duplication offense, meaning that someone has been impersonating him in London.

“The high implication of the offense is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obi’s name,” Onifade added.

The incident highlights the issue of identity theft and the serious consequences it can have. It also underscores the need for proper identification and security measures to prevent such incidents.

As of yet, there has been no statement from Mr. Obi regarding the incident, but it is likely that he will speak out in the coming days.