Prominent Ijaw leaders and family of detained investigative journalist cum Whistle blower, Isaac Tamunobiefiri Bristol-Alagbariya have called for the immediate release of their son.
Recall that the journalist who was alleged to have been missing, by his family was later confirmed to be in custody of the police in Port Hartcourt,.the Rivers State Capital following nationwide outcry for his release.
In a text at a press conference signed by Asemo-Warisenbo Bristol-Alagbariya , the Lineage Head of Iminabo Bristol-Alagbariya Royal Family House of Bonny Kingdom and six others, made available to journalists on Sunday, the stakeholders decried the ill treatment meted out to detained journalist.
They narrated the events leading the events leading to the arrest of their kinsman.
“Mr. Tamunobiefiri who lodged at Osmosis hotel located along Ada road by Paflox filling station in Port. Hartcourt was arrested in a gestapo manner by plain clothes policemen who stormed the facility in two Lexus Rx350 SUVs at about 1:12 Pm on the 5th August 2024.
“He was roughly handled and bundled away to unknown location, ” the family said.
The family added that a search led it to various Police stations in the Garden City, with the police denying that the journalist was in their custody.
The family frowned at the aleged torture, humiliation and starvation melted on their son while at the anti kidnapping unit in Port Harcourt, noting that while in detention at the anti kidnapping unit, the police slammed heinous allegations of armed Robbery and kidnapping against the journalist.
He was later flown to Abuja in handcuffs andbthe cops told everyone on board the United Nigeria Airline flight to Abuja that the handdcuffed journalist was a notorious armed robber and a kidnapper. The same process was repeated when they landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport in Abuja.
They revealed that at the Nation’s capital, Mr. Tamunobiefiri was taken to the National Cyber crime Center and placed on a miserable meal per day while physical and mental torture continued.
Speaking further, the family accused the police who came to arrest him at Osmosis hotel of stealing his valuables like wristwatches , clothes and shoes. They accused the police of shamelessly adorning them few days after the raid and arrest.
The family wonders at the sudden editing of the previous crimes of kidnapping and armed robbery to unlawful possession, leakage of classified documents and cyber related offenses.
The Manager of Osmosis hotel was not spared of some allegations. The family fingers him as one who revealed to the police that Mr. Tamunobiefiri was in the facility.
The private Diary of the journalist which contained personal information including his crypto account details was taken away. They alleged that the account contained over twenty thousand, two hundred (20,200) USD which is approximately Forty three Million Naira. This, according to the (family)is robbery by state actors . A national shame they called it .
They weren’t done. They accused First Bank of Nigeria betrayal of trust by revealing sensitive information of Mr. Tamunobiefiri to the police including his photograph through his BVN to enable the police link him to *#PIDOMNIGERIA X account*. “This is gross betrayal of Customer’s confidentiality says the family and warned Nigeria on the danger of patronage of of the Bank.
They want an immediate end to their son’s incaseration. They want Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of police to immediately release their son Tamunobiefiri Isaac Bristol-Alagbariya and to immediately disband the anti kidnapping unit of the police in Porthartcourt having displayed such level cruelty to an innocent Nigerian. This behavior was again repeated by the family as the height of cruelty, abuse of state power and debasement of the force.