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The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA has chided Philip Ejiogu, a member of the Imo State House of Assembly for allegedly detaining three brothers in his house for three days during the last Christmas period over alleged breakdown of commercial transaction between the lawmaker and a rice supplier who had contracted the three truck delivery operators to deliver the products at his home in Owerri.
The rights advocacy group in a statement made available to Vanguard listed those who were “illegally detained” by the Imo legislator in his Owerri house as Anayo Nwosu, Ifeanyi Nwosu and Ekene Nwodu, saying the Principal Staff Secretary to the Anambra State governor, Willie Nwokoye called its attention to the alleged breach of human rights after the Imo State House of Assembly member had failed to release the boys after some high profile interventions for the release of the boys proved abortive.
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In a media Statement, HURIWA confirmed speaking to someone believed to be the alleged violator who confirmed that the three boys mentioned have been with him for days noting that “he denied detaining them but stated that he just wanted to use them as a bait to get to the direct rice supplier whom the lawmaker accused of breaching the commercial agreement to brand the hundreds of bags of rice he had paid for.”
National coordinator of the group, Emmanuel Onwubiko however said he reminded the lawmaker that “under the Law, no private individual has the legal authority to maintain a private detention facility in his home,” just as the rights group added that even the police as a constitutionally recognized law enforcement agency “has no power of detention of citizens in conflict with the law arbitrarily without a court order.”
According to the statement, the three “detainees” were engaged “by Ikedu Kingsley Global Resources, Awka to freight about 260 bags of 10kg rice, for delivery to one Hon. Philip Ejiogu, said to be a member of Imo State House of Assembly. The destination is the Honourable’s house on Umuaku Street, Emekuku, Owerri.
“Hon Philip Ejiogu had given the task of the rice purchase to a lady. Apparently the bags were rather not branded and probably of a lower kilogramme than requested by Philip. In fury Philip rejected the supply. His effort to reach his lady supplier was futile.
“The three were on their way back to return the rejected rice when Philip dispatched his armed security personnel to abduct them back to his house, where they were held hostage as a ransom for the supplier-at-large.
The youngmen’s entreaty that they are mere freighters hired to deliver, knowing nothing else regarding the transaction was completely rebuffed by Philip.
HURIWA condemned this resort to self help measures by the Imo State House of Assembly member and has asked the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly to investigate this gross violation of the fundamental human rights of three citizens of Anambra State who were abducted and held hostage allegedly for three days and then four days for the remaining hostage at his Emekuku home.
The Rights group stated that it will be petitioning the United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada about this so they can deny the Imo State Assembly member Visa to travel to these civilized democracies if he fails to heed its plea.
