A Coalition of human and pro-democracy groups have condemned the arrest and detention of right activist in Cross River State, Agba Jalingo, by Governor Ben Ayade, using the NIgerian Police.
Crimefacts.news had on Sunday reported that Agba Jalingo was released on Saturday night in Abuja by the police.
In a statement in FCT, Abuja on Sunday, the groups comprising Campaign for Democracy (CD), Human Rights, Liberty Access, and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE), Ndigbo Unity Forum ( NUF), Nigerian Elders’Forum (NEF), condemned the penchant by NIgerians Police to arrest citizens especially rights activists on the flimsy allegation by the Political leaders and their family members, without going through due process as eshrined in the constitution and other extant laws of the land.
On Friday, Jalingo was arrested by a team of Police from Force Headquarters, Abuja, after laying siege over his house for alleged defamation of the wife of the brother of the Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade.
But the groups faulted the arrest by the Police, all the way from Abuja on flimsy excuse that Jalingo defamed a relation to the Governor, asking why defamation has become a criminal matter that Police should arrest and detain, instead of the person defamed going to Court to ask for damages inline with our extant laws.
In the joint statement signed by Dede Uzor A. Uzor, the groups recalled that a human right lawyer is currently languishing in Calabar prison for alleged contempt of Court presided over by the Cross River State Chief Judge, Ekaette Obot.
The human right lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, is also standing trial for an alleged contempt of Court in a libel suit filed by Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom against one Leo Ekpeyong.
But the group queried why Governor Ayade and some others like him want to hold public office in a democratic era but would not want their activities and those around them be interrogated.
The groups warned the Governors and agents of autocracy in Police uniform and indeed other security agents to stop taking the laws into their hands, instead of following due process and rule of law to take its course.
The rights groups said although Jalingo has been released, Governor Ayade and the NIgerian Police should tender public apology to him as well as pay damage for his unlawful arrest and detention.
They also warned Ayade to henceforth stop further incaceration of rights activists and Police should not to be a willing tool in the Governor’s hand, stressing that next time they would not hesitate to mobilise their members to protest against the Governor and the Nigerian Police. Dede Uzor warned.
