The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has shared more details regarding his detention by the United Kingdom immigration authorities over a case of duplicated identity.
According to Obi, the identity duplication started in Nigeria but he didn’t give it much attention until an expert explained further details about the implication of such to him particularly if his identity is used for criminal activities.
Speaking on Sunday during a Twitter space organized by the Parallel Media, Obi narrated that his detention by the United Kingdom immigration officials came as a surprise to him but the entire thing only lasted a few minutes.
He added that further investigation is still ongoing by relevant authorities regarding the saga and he has been to the UK after the airport incident.
He said, “I have been to the UK this year at least four times when I went to the Chatham House when I was invited by the UK government. So, it was a surprise to me. I had lived there for years and still own property there because that was where I lived before I became governor and for me to appear at the airport and they will ask me to sit down, I was very surprised, but all these happened within a few minutes.”
He added that, “It is shocking when someone tells you that your identity was duplicated; my first reaction was to say it means nothing, but I was referred to an expert on identity duplication who further shocked me.
“He (the expert) said to me, ‘Peter you could be implicated for a rape, you book a hotel, they have their own gang that comes in, set you up at night and someone says you did this, and they call police. In the UK and everywhere in the Western world, this is a serious case, and you can’t get bail. You could be implicated in murder with your duplicate, same thing if they are checking any luggage.’
Thank God nothing happened; I have been managing it, and I have been to the UK since then while they too are investigating. When I arrived after that, I was asked and I explained to them, they said they are looking into it, that’s all I can say for now. I’m also extremely careful, and I’m managing it, and hoping nothing goes wrong, but it is something that started from Nigeria.”
