A former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Saturday, condemned the arrest and incarceration of the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Ebonyi State, Comrade Nwoba Chika Nwoba.
According to the former Senate President, such an act has best described Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi as undemocratic and draconian.
Saraki urged the police in Ebonyi State to release Mr Nwoba, who was arrested in January, saying this was in violation of his fundamental human rights.
Saraki, in a statement signed by Olu Onemola and released by his media office, on Saturday, expressed disappointment that a citizen was arrested on a flimsy excuse of ‘circulating false information’ and thereafter detained for more than a month without fair hearing.
While describing the arrest carried out by the state security group called Ebubeagwu before the intervention of the police as “an assault on the country’s democracy,” the former Senate President stated that a situation where a citizen was suddenly seized and beaten to a stupor before being detained in the police station for several weeks does not speak well for the nation’s democracy.
According to the statement, “The remand in police cell of Mr Nwoba, the PDP Publicity Secretary in Ebonyi State, is of great concern for me as a person who loves Nigeria and above all as someone who loves justice. It is really disappointing that injustice has transcended every facet of our country.
“The gentleman deserves the right to fair hearing under the law. He has been controversially remanded for more than a month after being arrested under a situation that started like he was being kidnapped. Since then, he has been prevented from meeting any member of his family. Anyway, my sympathy goes out to his wife and kids who must be going through a tough time at the moment.
“Mr Nwoba is a dutiful member of our great party, PDP, and he is paying the price of speaking truth to power. Without any doubt, this is another concerted effort to silence the opposition and undermine democracy.
“This act of injustice being promoted and foisted by those in power in Ebonyi State is nothing but an assault on our democracy and our collective freedom as citizens of this country because an injury to one is an injury to all. This is a time for every well-meaning Nigerian and most especially the leaders of our party, the PDP, to stand up and stand with one of our own.
“We all need to save our nation from the misfortune wrecked by injustice and miscarriage of justice. It is important to note that the case is presently in a Magistrate Court and we sincerely hope justice will be dispensed promptly and without any delay.”
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