Ifeanyi Ubah’s Continued detention is affront and rape to constitution as Nnewi Youth Forum shut down Nnewi industrial city

www.odogwublog.com reports that various groups are still at shock on the continued detention Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, the Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas company by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) without trial by any court of competent jurisdiction over an alleged business transaction between his company and NNPC.

The various groups described Ubah’s ordeal as a rape to Nigeria constitution.

 Firing the first salvo is Barr Charles Olumba who is the Principal Partner of Egwurugwu Chambers Owerri, and has put in over 25 years in active practice. He said it is a complete rape on the constitution and against the tenets of the law. He spoke  in Owerri while interacting with news men over the detention of the business mogul.  

The legal icon noted that the fundamental rights of Chief Ubah as enshrined in 1999 constitution as amended as well as United Nations Charter of Equity of which Nigeria is signatory to have been violated.

He pointed out that the law gives them an impetus of 24hours detention on arrest or arraign the accused to court for trial and other actions noting the accused to be innocent before the law.

According to him, “There is an indication that in this country, her citizen rights are often tramped upon without re-course. This is an insult to the judiciary and a threat to the nation’s hard earned democracy.

There is no legal backing keeping Ifeanyi Uba in DSS detention for over two weeks now without trial. His rights have been infringed and violated”

The legal luminary advised DSS to retrace the action and charge the company to court since the company is a legal entity and it transacted business with NNPC which is another legal entity.

Similarly, Barr. Kissinger Ikeokwu, a human rights activist and frontline legal practitioner in Imo State has described the detention as “Absolutely wrong and reckless on the part of Nigerian government. It is a total  infringement on his fundamental human rights and DSS have no business to prosecute Ubah because what happened was purely contractual business ”

Barr. Ikeokwu further decried the action of DSS arguing that it is unfortunate “This kind of impunity is being done in a country were the Acting President is a Professor in Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).It is totally unfair that the rights of Nigerian citizens are being abused and violated by her own Government”

He insisted that due to the alleged legal rascality that the nation under the present democratic dispensation has gone “2 steps forward and 10 steps backwards. It is quit absurd that Nigeria security agencies have no respect nor regards for her citizens fundamental human rights” he observed. 



Ubah’s arrest and detention ‘’Act of vendetta’’, says Conference of Nigerian Political parties



On its part, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) Anambra state chapter warned DSS that their intimidation and harassment of Ubah is enough.
The statement signed by Secretary in the state ,Comrade Sir Peter Okala read in part: ‘’ ……enough is enough on the rascality of DSS , the detention before investigation is an act of vendetta and envy of the highest order , that the Nigerian Youths need encouragement instead….;
‘’…….that let there be an investigation that conforms with the internationally accepted standard that is free from abuse , judgng and execution in the pages of newspapers’’.




Human Rights lawyers chide DSS over Ubah' detention



Prominent Human Right lawyers within the South East and beyond have continued to condemn DSS continued detention of the CEO of Capital Oil & Gas Industries Ltd., Chief Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

Leading the crusade is an Onitsha based rights lawyer, Barr. Uzoigwe M.F of the Madukaego Uzoigwe & Associates Chambers, Onitsha.

Speaking to odogwublog.com in Onitsha, Barr. Uzoigwe noted that the men of the DSS have done everything illegal in arresting Ubah without first conducting investigations into his alleged crime, detaining him beyond the constitutionally acceptable period without arraigning him in court, disobeying court order and going beyond their constitutional role to perform the duty of debt recovering; adding that what the agency have done is contrary to 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

Lending his voice to the crusade, an Awka based Human Right lawyer, Barr. A.N.N.C Akonanya of the of the Akonanya and co./ Obochie Chambers, Awka, said, "My take on the continued detention
Of Ifeanyi Ubah without trying him in a law court is that the agency have left their constitutional duty to go into other things.They have their own roles and duties as provided by the constitution that set it up.

"Even if Ubah has any case to answer in his transaction with the NNPC, it is civil case which ordinary court can settle.

"Even if the DSS should come into the matter, there is a period stipulated by the law (24 hours) within which the accused person must  appear in court. It is unlawful to keep him this long in detention and even go as long as disobeying an order issued by a competent court that he should be brought to court on a.particular date date.

"Some federal agencies are reminding us of the horrors of military regime without understanding that Nigeria has long passed the era", he averred, urging the DSS to be civil enough to do what is needful.




Ifeanyi Ubah: Youths grill commercial activities in Nnewi



Youths of Nnewi community in Nnewi North Council Area of Anamnbra State, Wednesday, trooped out in their great numbers to protest continued incarceration of their brother, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, the chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd. by the officials of the DSS.
The youths, under the aegis of “Nnewi Youth Forum”, carried placards and marched through all the quarters and major markets in the commercial city chanting songs depicting anger.

Youths and men trading in Agbaedo Spare Parts Market, New Auto Spare Parts Market, Nkwo Major Market, Orie-Agbo Market and other markets in the city locked their shops up and joined solidarity march.
Inscriptions in some of the placards read: “DSS, obey court order”; “Please, take Ifeanyi Ubah to court, we are in a democratic state”; “This is democracy, not military rule”; “Is there no more respect for rule of law and human right in Nigeria?”; among other inscriptions.
Addressing newsmen during the rally, the President-General of the group, Hon. Onyekwelu Udeze; flanked by the Secretary –General, Prince Ezenwa Nwachukwu; noted, “Nnewi Youth Forum has condemned in strong terms the continued detention of Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah by the DSS, without trial not to talk of obeying court order.
“We have watched with keen interest the harassment and detention of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah by this National Security Agency over a business transaction with NNPC where both parties have claims.
 “It is now public knowledge that some persons or agencies have vowed to nail Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah by all means. They have pursued this agenda with rigour like the proverbial stubborn fly that follows the corps to the grave. These enemies of progress have not come to terms with the historic success and contributions of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to the nation’s building, economic growth and job creation, particularly among the youths.
 “We condemn a situation where people are detained before investigations are carried out on the issue leading to their arrest. The refusal of DSS to respect a court order is unconstitutional and it thrives at the very foundation of our legal system. This breeds impunity, and no reasonable government will condone it.
“We wish to emphatically state that the DSS should obey court order and arraign Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to court or release him without further delay”.



Ubah is being persecuted for supporting Jonathan - CSO
. Issues 7- day ultimatum to FG or members 'll go on hunger strike



A civil society group, Society for  Good Governance & Social Justice in Nigeria ( SGGSJN), has linked the current ordeals of the Publisher of The AUTHORITY Newspapers, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah with his support for ex- President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

The CSO which strongly condemned Ubah's continued detention gave the federal government one week ultimatum to release the oil magnet  or its members would embark on indefinite hunger strike.

Executive Director of the group, Comrade Okwudiri Okafor who spoke with odogwublog.com  in Umuahia said it was very wrong of the federal government to continue to hold Ubah against court orders.

He said such lawlessness would no longer be tolerated , vowing to mobilise Nigeria youths against the impunity of security operatives in the country.

Okafor said the federal government was looking  for excuse to punish Ubah for using his platform - Transformation Agenda of Nigeria ( TAN) to support the former President, Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Shedding more light on why his group would go on hunger strike to press for Ubah's release, Okafor said Ubah is among few Nigerians who had used their wealth to empower many youths.

He said he had provided employment opportunities for so  may youths in the country though a private individual  unlike many corrupt public officials who stole public funds and stocked it away in foreign banks without any investment in Nigeria.

Okafor said it would be  wickedness for the federal government to pay Ubah back with the wrong coin after investing heavily to improve the economy.

He called the DSS to quickly release the oil mogul and allow the courts to settle whatever issues he has with NNPC.




Ifeanyi Ubah: Ohanaeze youth council threatens mass protest in Lagos, Abuja, S'East if...




Peeved by the continued detention of the owner of Capital Oil and Publisher of The AUTHORITY Newspapers Ifeanyi Ubah by the Department of State Services ( DSS), the apex Igbo youth body, Ohanaeze Youth Council has threatened a mass protest in Abuja, Lagos and South East cities  if he is not produced in court or released by DSS during his next court hearing.

National President OYC, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a press statement issued yesterday, said Igbo youths would no longer sit idly to watch the federal government use its state machinery to pull down illustrious Igbo sons by branding them as criminals.

The OYC helmsman said the trade dispute between Ubah and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) was purely a civil matter which ought to be sorted out at the courts, wondering why the DSS would choose to take over the role of the judiciary in a democracy.

OYC said DSS must choose between obeying a subsisting court pronouncement  which ordered it to produce Ubah before the court for trial , and mass protest in South East , Abuja, and Lagos.

He said the youths decided to embark on the protest to register their disgust over the way the federal government is hounding Ubah for supporting ex-President Goodluck Jonathan's second term bid in 2015.

" We have seen that this is a pure case of witch haunt, and we won't tolerate it any longer", OYC vowed.

Isiguzoro said OYC would collaborate with Biafran agitators to  protest Ubah's continued detention until he gets justice.

He said Ubah is the grand patron of over 30 million Ohanaeze Ndigbo youths worldwide and that any attempt to rubbish him would be resisted by Igbo youths.

Isiguzoro said Ubah is one of the few Nigerians who are using their hard- earned money to creat job opportunities for the youths.

" Ubah has provided over 10,000 jobs for Nigerians and we won't allow enemies of progress who are intimidated by his rising economic and political profile destroy his business empire."

Ohanaeze youths leader said they are also mobilising 100 lawyers in defense of Ubah during his next court appearance.

According to him Igbo youths and Biafra agitators would storm the Lagos court in their millions during Ubah's next court appearance.

" We urge those holding him to save what will happen in Lagos and release him as already ordered by the court or get ready for us", OYC warned.

Meanwhile , a rights activist and Abia- based constitutional layer, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere, has called for immediate release of Ubah from DSS detention.

Agbazuere described his continued detention as absurd, total illegality and an infringement of his fundamental rights.

He argued that it would be illogical for NNPC to owe Ubah a whopping  N16 billion and persecute him for owing them N11 billion.

"If the information we have that NNPC is owing him N16 billion is correct they should pay him the balance and apologise to him", Agbazuere said.

The former Commissioner for Information and Strategies Abia State also added that DSS should apologise to Ubah for holding him illegally if it is proven that  NNPC is owing him N16 as he claims.

He said should be released immediately with apologies " because Nigeria is not a banana republic but a democratic society where the rule of law and the rights of individuals must be respected".

PICTURE: The demonstrating youths





Ifeanyi Ubah’s Continued detention is affront and rape to constitution as Nnewi Youth Forum shut down Nnewi industrial city Ifeanyi Ubah’s Continued detention is affront and rape to constitution as Nnewi Youth Forum shut down Nnewi industrial city Reviewed by Unknown on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Rating: 5

No comments: