Date Published: 03/24/11

Release or Charge Emeka Ugwuonye to court now

March 16th 2011; New York, NY: The NDLF has received with shock the news of the continued detention of Mr Emeka Ugwunoye by the Nigerian EFCC without charges brought against him in a court of law.

We do not intend to get involve in the private business dealings between him and the Nigerian government that led to his current ordeal but we expect the Nigerian law enforcement agency(ies) to respect his constitutional rights.

The apparatus of government should not be utilized to persecute citizens regardless of perceived wrong doing a determination and pronouncement which should be left in the hands of a judge in a court of law.

To have held Mr Emeka Ugwuonye this long (over three weeks) without allowing him exercise his rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and international covenants is a drawback for a government that prides itself as observing the rule of law.

We hereby demand that the EFCC charges Mr Ugwuonye to court immediately otherwise we shall send petitions on his behalf to foreign human rights organizations and the US government to draw attention to his plight which he has written to include being deprived access to family members, lawyers, physical and psychological abuse, and being held in solitary confinement.


Signed
Dr Adegboyega Dada
Chairman

Bukola Oreofe
Executive Director.