By Adeleye Kunle
A lawyer to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnaemeka Ejiofor, has cried out over the alleged unlawful detention of 24 members of the body by security operatives of the Federal Government.
Ejiofor claimed that the detainees were picked up in various states of the South East geo-political zone and had been clamped into detention since 2021.
At a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the legal practitioner alleged that all efforts to locate and interface with the detained IPOB members have been rebuffed by the authorities of the Department of the State Service, DSS.
To worsen the situation for families of the detainees, the counsel alleged that the military authorities and that of the DSS believed to be responsible for the ordeal of his clients have been making conflicting and confusing information on the whereabouts of the people.
He said that while the DSS claimed that the detainees were in military custody, the army authorities swore an affidavit in the High Court to the effect that no members of IPOB were in their custody.
Those alleged to have hauled into unknown detention facilities are Ikechukwu Henry,Joy Godwin Udoh, Emeka Ngomadi, Barrister Pius Awoke, Chinedum Nwoha,Igwe Johnson Dike, Ogbonna Joseph Ajah, Kingsley Onovu, Ogbonna David Kenneth Ojima and Fortune Okorie.
Others are Joseph Okafor Eze, Emmanuel Onyibe Chinonso, Uket Godwin,Ogbonna Christian Ndubuisi, Eze Ernest Chukwuemeka, Ibeleme Tochukwu, Emmanuel Ike, Reverend Cletus Egole, Pastor Phillip Chinedu Egole, Chinonso Anyanwu, Kelechi Okeke, Godspower Chilemu and Chukwuma Nwaokike.
Barrister Ejiofor, who accused DSS of flagrant breach of fundamental rights of the detainees, lamented that most of them, especially the clergymen, were innocent but were unlawfully arrested in their various churches.
He also alleged that others were picked up in the nights thereby making it difficult for families of the detainees to ascertain the identities of the security operatives.
He pleaded with DSS authorities to arraign the detainees in law courts if they have committed any known offence instead of keeping them in unknown detention camps in breach of the 1999 Constitution.
“At a point, we were told that they have been moved to a Military Camp in Kainji where Boko Haram terrorists are being kept but unfortunately, all findings on our parts yielded no fruitful results.
“As I am addressing you, I can confirm to you that since 2021 when my clients were unlawfully arrested, no one has been allowed to see or access them. Our security should do their work diligently and in line with provisions of the law.
“We are not in banana republic. We are in democratic era and everything we are doing, including our security agencies, must be in tune with our laws.
