The Nigeria customs service (NCS) has complied with the directive of a high court in Abuja on the immediate release of My Watch, the autobiography of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, which was in its custody.
Valentine Ashi, a justice of the high court, had ordered the release of the books, which had been in the custody of customs since December 2014.
Ashi also restrained the comptroller-general from charging demurrage on copies of the book already confiscated.
While inaugurating two new patrol boats of the service in Lagos after on Thursday, Dikko Abdullahi, comptroller-general of NCS, told reporters that customs had no option than to obey the order.
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He further disclosed that a container filled with the book was seized in line with the initial order, restraining the former president from publishing, printing or offering it for sale.
“Customs got the initial order of the court to stop the container and now that the court asks us to release the container, so be it,” he said.
In a ruling, Ashi upheld the argument by Obasanjo’s counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), that the court was misled into granting the orders on December 5 and December 10, 2014.
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The court had granted the orders on December 5, 2014, restraining Obasanjo from publishing his book in the country pending the determination of suit against him by Buruji Kashamu, a PDP chieftain.
Despite the order of December 5, Obasanjo proceeded to launch the book in Lagos on December 9, a development that prompted the court to make the orders on December 10.
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