Pascal Arogorn Ibe
A civilian , Emmanuel Odaudu , has been languishing in the Nigerian Military Special Investigation Bureau underground cell in Abuja for seventies months over an old
Facebook video.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Emmanuel’ s ordeal started when he was in the army .
He was said to have posted on social media short videos of himself rapping while in uniform.
The videos , some of which went viral , reportedly infuriated the military authorities, leading to his arrest and detention for three months .
Emmanuel’ s mother , Helen , who spoke to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday, said her son was later released, but told he would be redeployed to Maiduguri over the matter .
However, while awaiting his redeployment, Helen said the Commanding Officer , 29 Battalion Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt , dismissed her son over another video he made months before his detention.
She said , “ My son told me he made a post on Facebook advising people to get their permanent voter cards to vote for good governance . He was also wearing his uniform in that video , but he deleted it almost immediately. Before he deleted it , a celebrity , Charly Boy , reposted it and the commanding officer told him he had been dismissed because of that video . After his dismissal on October 5, 2017, my son returned home. ”
Helen said her son was busy with his life when the military tracked him to Otukpo , Benue State , on June 12, 2020, on the allegation that he impersonated the Army in another video seen on social media.
PUNCH Metro learnt that one of Emmanuel’ s old videos while in the army was shared on
Facebook.
The military was said to have ordered his arrest over it.
“ What happened was that
Facebook shared the memory of my son ’ s old video and the military authorities can verify that on his page . But because he was a civilian as of the time
Facebook reposted the video , they said he was impersonating. They blindfolded him , chained both his hands and legs and took him away without disclosing their destination to us , ” the mother added .
The 40- year -old said the family tracked Emmanuel to an underground cell in Port Harcourt .
She said he was later transferred to the SIB underground cell in Abuja , where he was allowed to call his family.
Helen said , “ When I heard my son ’ s voice two months after he was arrested in Otukpo , I was happy because I thought they had killed him .
“ My son has been in the underground cell for seven months now ; he has been tortured like a criminal and refused trial . My son is no longer an officer ; whatever the offence , why can’ t they hand him over to the police for trial in a conventional court ? I come from the barracks , the army don’ t arrest and keep civilians in detention for more than 24 hours, why is my son ’ s case different ?
“ I am pleading with the military authorities to release my son . ”
The Acting Director , Army Public Relations , Col . Sagir Musa, did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a
WhatsApp message sent to his phone as of press time .
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