October 17 , 2007
JOINT PRESS RELEASE
NWOSU, RIGHTS ACTIVIST ARRESTED, RELEASED
…BISHOP HEZEKIAH OF LIVING CHRIST MISSION FINGERED
A frontline activist east of the Niger, Comrade Chidi
Nwosu, unlawfully arrested on Saturday, 13th October,
2007 in his office in Aba by security agents from the
Central Police Station (CPS), Aba, has regained
freedom.
Nwosu’s ordeal was in connection with a press release
captioned ‘Security Agents Declare Journalists
Wanted’, which was published by the Points Blank News,
an electronic magazine.
In the press release, Nwosu, in his capacity as
President, Human Rights, Justice and Peace Foundation
(HRJPF), condemned the use of security agents to
harass the publisher, crew members and distributors of
the National Telegraph, a fortnight newspaper, which
is published in Owerri.
Recall that the National Telegraph in its August 20 –
September 2, 2007 edition captioned “Wickedness: Daddy
Hezekiah, General Overseer, Living Christ Mission
attacks kinsmen with thugs”, alleged that “…the clergy
forcefully sacked his kinsmen, pulled down their
village hall and confiscated their lands with thugs in
Nkwerre, Imo State.”
But in a manner reminiscent of the evil days of
military dictatorships, the notorious and
controversial clergy resorted to use of his kinsmen
and friends in the Nigeria Police Force, drawn mainly
from CPS, Aba and Eagle’s Squad Owerri to chase after
the journalists and distributors. On 1st September,
2007 security agents arrested the Imo State
distributor of the National Telegraph and detained him
for four days at the detention centre of the Eagle’s
Squad, State CID, Owerri. Also, on 12th September,
2007 the Abia State distributor of the National
Telegraph was arrested in Aba by suspected agents of
the clergy from the CPS, Aba and driven to Eagles’
Squad, State CID, Owerri where he was detained.
As a tireless enemy of anti-democratic forces, the
HRJPF drew media attention to these senseless
violations of the fundamental human rights of the
journalists, calling upon the Inspector-General of
Police to investigate the matter. But as a clergy
devoid of the spirit of tolerance, Bishop Hezekiah
hired policemen from the Central Police Station, Aba
led by one Sergeant Martin Osunkwo, his kinsman, who,
claiming they were acting on the orders of the Abia
and Imo States Commissioners of Police, bundled Nwosu
into a 190 Mercedes car, manhandled, handcuffed,
tortured and drove him to CPS, Aba and thereafter
whisked him to Eagle’s Squad, State CID, Owerri, where
he was tortured by policemen and kinsmen of the clergy
and detained in a 24/9 dungeon, accommodating about 60
inmates.
However, Nwosu who is also the Chairman, Campaign for
Democracy (CD), Southeast Region, was granted bail on
self-recognition by the leaders of the Eagles’s Squad,
State CID, Owerri, on discovering that neither the
Abia State Commissioner of Police, nor his Imo State
counterpart declared had ordered for his arrest. The
illegality of the arrest was further confirmed by the
Divisional Police Officer of Central Police Station,
Aba, who stated among other things that before anybody
could be arrested from one state and whisked to the
other, the State Commissioner of Police must be not
only be aware of it but also give his consent.
It is saddening that policemen who are paid to protect
the masses would treat Nwosu, who was and has remained
in the holy league of those who fought for the
restoration of democracy in Nigeria, like a common
criminal by offering themselves as willing and ready
tools of oppression in the hands of the aggressively
intolerant clergy, His Grace, the Most Rev. Dr. Daddy
Hezekiah, aka, Odum Ebo Ndi Igbo (Lion of the Tribe of
Igbo), just for perishable worldly benefits.
We therefore call upon all civil society organizations
and the International Community to prevail on
President Musa Yar’adua to, as a matter of urgent
importance:
1) Order for a probe of the arrest of Nwosu;
2) Arrest, prosecute and dismiss from the Nigeria
Police Force, of the police officers who arrested,
manhandled, handcuffed, tortured, threatened to kill
and detained Nwosu unlawfully; and
3) Order for a probe of the role played by Bishop
Hezekiah in the unlawful arrest of Nwosu, and if
indicted, tried along side with the his police agents
and other civilians involved.
The above call has become imperative because it will
assure the Nigerian masses whose cause Nwosu is
fighting conscientiously that this administration is
committed to respect for human rights and rule of law.
Amaka Biachi
Executive Director,
Centre for Human Empowerment, Advancement and
Development (CHEAD)
John Ochulor
Secretary, South-East Region
Campaign for Democracy (CD)
Obi Okezie
Public Relations Officer
Human Rights, Justice and Peace Foundation (HRJPF)
Nnamdi Biachi
President
Delta Youths Initiative for Democracy (DYID)