CIVIL RIGHTS AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION (CRIDO)

PRESS RELEASE!
December 4, 2002

UNLAWFUL DETENTION, TORTURE, AND INHUMANE TREATMENT OF 36 MASSOB ACTIVISTS AT THE CENTRAL POLICE STATION UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE

 

The Civil Rights and Development Organisation (CRIDO) condemn in totality the continued detention and torture of 36 MASSOB Activists at the Central Police Station (CPS) Umuahia, Abia State

 

The said MASSOB Activists are drawn from two sets of unlawful and illegal arrests, the first set of   Ignatius Iroanya, Emmanuel Maduako, Emmanuel Akagha, Lawrence Ijeomanta, Nathaniel Ngwakwe, Peter Nwankwo, Charles Ogunka, Michael Okonkwungwu, Rowland Ibiam, Barnabas Onyema, Pastor Ezekiel Ekeoma, Bernard Ukaegbu, Innocent Uruakpa, Uzoma Ukeachu, Alaoma C. Onyewaku and Chukwuezi Onwuka were arrested at Aba, while the second set of Ngozi Erondu, John Nmecha, Elias Okonkwo, Boniface Nnachi, Friday Obi, Ethelbert Olekanma, Ephraim Okeke, Adolphus

Uzoegbu, Festus Anyaegbulam, Samuel C. Kalu, Ikechukwu Obi, Levi Nnuka, Enyioma Ibeabuchi, Udo Ebogu, Chigozie Ogbu, Hycient Ulu, Ndubueze Ojukwu, Onyekachi Nwaokoro, Iruka Ezeugo and Ambrose Onyemelam were all arrested at Ubakala junction in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State on their way back from a visit to Oji River war veterans settlement in Anambra State.   

 

On Friday October 11,2002, the said 17 MASSOB Activists from Aba were transferred to the F.C.T. Central Divisional Police Station (CPS), Abuja, while the 20 MASSOB Activists from Obigbo were transferred to Abuja on Tuesday October 15, 2002 and were detained there (Abuja) until Saturday November 16, 2002. They were jointly transferred to Umuahia form Abuja on November 16, 2002, and further detained at the said CPS Umuahia till date.

 While in detention at Abuja one of the said MASSOB Activists from Aba, one Mr. Raphael Okonkwo was taken out from the CPS cell at F.C.T. on the grounds of an ailment suspected to be connected with lunatic complications and he was never seen till

date, as he is presumed dead.

 

The unlawful arrest, continued detention and torture of these Activists contravene Section 34 (Right to Human dignity), 35 (Right to Personal Liberty) and 36 (Right to fair hearing) and Articles 5, 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Furthermore, the continued detention and torture of the MASSOB 36 is threat to their life, which is guaranteed under section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human & Peoples Right. 

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of the MASSOB Activists from unlawful detention or in the alternative; they should be charged before a Court of competent jurisdiction.

The Director of CRIDO, Uche Okwukwu Esq. visited the said MASSOB Activists in detention on Tuesday December 3, 2002 at Umuahia, and the same said Tuesday December 3, 2002, Uche Okwukwu filed a petition on behalf of the 36

MASSOB Activists to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and in the petition he demanded that the 36 MASSOB Activists should be released from unlawful detention or be Charged to Court immediately.

Below is the table of the detained 36 MASSOB members.

S/NO	NAMES	AGE	DATE ARRESTED	L.G.A.	STATE
1.	IGNATIUS IROANYA	54	09/09/02	Isiala-Mbano	Imo
2.	EMMANUEL MADUAKO	50	09/09/02	Ezinifite-Mbaise	Imo
3.	EMMANUEL AKAGHA	46	09/09/02	Nwangele	Imo
4.	LAWRENCE IJEOMANTA	45	09/09/02	Amaoha	Ebonyi
5.	NATHANIEL NGWAKWE	45	09/09/02	Obingwa	Abia
6.	PETER NWANKWO	42	09/09/02	Ezinifite-Mbaise	Imo
7.	CHARLES OGUNKA	40	09/09/02	Aboh-Mbaise	Imo
8.	MICHAEL OKONKWUNGWU	39	09/09/02	Nkanu-West	Enugu
9.	ROWLAND IBIAM	39	09/09/02	Edda-East	Ebonyi
10.	BARNABAS ONYEMA	38	09/09/02	Okigwe	Imo
11.	PASTOR EZEKIEL EKEOMA	37	09/09/02	Bende	Abia
12.	BERNARD UKAEGBU	36	09/09/02	Aboh Mbaise	Imo
13.	INNOCENT URUAKPA	36	09/09/02	Osisioma-Ngwa	Abia
14.	UZOMA UKEACHU	28	09/09/02	Isiala-Mbano	Imo
15.	CHUKWUEZI ONWUKA	27	09/09/02	Ukwa-West	Abia
16.	ALAOMA C. ONYEWAKU	27	09/09/02	Isiala Ngwa South	Abia
17.	NGOZI ERONDU	52	13/09/02	Obingwa	Abia
18.	JOHN NMECHA	52	13/09/02	Ohafia	Abia
19.	ELIAS OKONKWO	50	13/09/02	Aguatta	Anambra
20.	BONIFACE NNACHI	50	13/09/02	Afikpo-North	Ebonyi
21.	FRIDAY OBI	45	13/09/02	Ihitte Uboma	Imo
22.	ETHELBERT OLEKANMA	45	13/09/02	Aboh Mbaise	Imo
23.	EPHRIAM OKEKE	44	13/09/02	Arochukwu	Abia
24.	ADOLPHUS UZOEGBU	43	13/09/02	Isiala Mbano	Imo
25.	FESTUS ANYAEGBULAM	41	13/09/02	Owerri-West	Imo
26.	SAMUEL C. KALU	40	13/09/02	Ohafia	Abia
27.	IKECHUKWU OBI	38	13/09/02	Ehime Mbano	Imo
28.	LEVI NNUKA	37	13/09/02	Mbaitoli	Imo
29.	ENYIOMA IBEABUCHI	35	13/09/02	Isuikwuato	Abia
30.	UDO EBOGU	35	13/09/02	Umuahia-North	Abia
31.	CHIGOZIE OGBU	33	13/09/02	Ohafia	Abia
32.	HYCIENT ULU	31	13/09/02	Ohaji/Egbema	Imo
33.	NDUBUEZE OJUKWU	28	13/09/02	Ukwa-East	Abia
34.	ONYEKACHI NWAOKORO	27	13/09/02	Oru East	Imo
35.	IRUKA EZEUGO	25	13/09/02	Isiala-Mbano	Imo
36.	AMBROSE ONYEMELAM	25	13/09/02	Oru East	Imo

SIGN:

NwaMazi Obinna E. Okoro,

Head, Democracy and Good Governance Bureau (CRIDO).

PREVIOUSLY DETAINED!!!!

S/N	NAMES	AGE	OCCUPATION	VILLAGE	TOWN	STATE
1.	Rev. Linus Iweanya	40 Years	Clergy	Isuikwuato	Isuikwuato	Abia
2.	Mr. Isaac Ujah	39 Years	Driver	Amafor	Ohaji-Egbema	Imo
3.	Mr. Michael Adionye	40 Years	Factory worker	Isiekenesi	Ideato-South	Imo
4.	Mr. Godwin Njoku	55 Years	Contractor	Owo Amakaohia	Ikeduru	Imo
5.	Mr. Barnabas Monye	58 Years	Watch night	Ohii	Owerri	Imo
6.	Mr. Alexander Okeke	33 Years	Trader	Nkerehi	Orumba	Anambra
7.	Mr. Pascal Ejiogu	45 Years	Machine Operator	Uba	Ifekala Mbaitoli	Imo
8.	Mr. Cheghara Odunze	57 Years	Mason	Obosima	Ohaji	Imo
9.	Mr. Stanley Iherueme	35 Years	Conductor	Isuikwuato	Isuikwuato	Abia
10.	Mr. Amuche Okpara	40 Years	Trader	Isiekenesi	Ideato-South	Imo
11.	Mr. Patrick Asogwa	30 Years	Conductor	Nsukka	Nsukka	Enugu
12.	Mr. Philip Ikerionwu	50 Years	Businessman	Ukpo	Nnewi South	Anambra
13.	Mr. Basil Iheme	35 Years	Motor Cyclist	Eziama	Orodo	Imo
14.	Mr. Gabriel Ukwe	65 Years	Farmer	Eziama	Orodo	Imo
15.	Mr. Lambert Anyanwu	42 Years	Trader	Ogwa	Ogwa	Imo
16.	Chief. Vincent Ugochukwu	49 Years	Businessman	Ihite	Dunu	Anambra
17.	Mr. Matthew Uwanu	30 Years	Student	Isuikwuato	Isuikwuato	Abia
18.	Mr. Nelson Akwada	35 Years	Builder	Umuahia	Umuahia	Abia
19.	Mr. Tobias Nkemjika	70 Years	Mason	Ifeakala	Mbaitoli	Imo
20.	Mr. Albert Ejiobi	45 Years	Mason	Umundugba	Isu	Imo

SIGN:
NwaMazi. Obinna Okoro
Head, Democracy and Good Governance Bureau (CRIDO).