A legal practitioner, Inibehe Effiong, has condemned “the desecration” of the judiciary in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday, in a case involving President Muhammadu Buhari and Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel.
Four citizens, who took part in a peaceful protest led by
End Bad Governance Initiative, were arrested by the Police on Tuesday outside
Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
They are Idopise Ette Oton, Obot MfonGod, God’sfriend
Michael and Victor Nta George.
The group had gone to the legislature to express their
dissatisfaction with bad leadership, ASUU strike, freezing of accounts of End
SARS protesters, border closure, increment in electricity tariff and fuel pump
price, among others.
The demonstrators also kicked against the provisions in the
2021 budget presented to the House by Emmanuel.
In a statement on Thursday, Effiong said they were
“illegally charged before the Magistrate’s Court in Uyo presided over by Chief
Magistrate Winifred Umohandy with fraudulent, malicious and frivolous charge of
forming intention to overthrow President Buhari and Governor Emmanuel.”
He noted that upon their arraignment, objection was raised
to the competence of the treasonable felony charge on the ground that the
Magistrate’s Court lacks jurisdiction.
Chief Magistrate Winifred Umohandy struck out the charge and
discharged the four protesters.
Effiong said as the Magistrate stepped into her chambers,
policemen invaded the courtroom located at Fulga Street, Off Ikot Ekpene Road,
Uyo, brutalized the citizens and took them away.
“The protesters, who were freed by the court are still in
the custody of the police. This shameful action by governor Udom Emmanuel is
only the latest in a string of dictatorial actions that Mr Udom Emmanuel has
carried out since he came to office.
“It is shameful that Udom Emmanuel, who pretends to be an
opposition leader in the country, has desecrated the hallowed temple of justice
in his bid to quell all forms of dissent in the State.
“It is distasteful that the recently posted Police
Commissioner, CP Amiengheme Andrew, has reduced the State Police Command to a
political weapon for corrupt politicians, and allowed himself to be used as
tool by the governor to witch-hunt citizens who are merely exercising their
rights under the Nigerian Constitution.”
The lawyer demanded the immediate release of the protesters.
He urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), civil
society, human rights activists, the media, and the international community to
rescue Akwa Ibom people and “halt the reign of terror of the Emmanuel-led
regime.”
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