Release Oderaigbo Now, Right Groups Tell IGP
IGP Adamu Mohammed
The Inspector-General of Police has been asked to release a social media activist, Mr. Stanley Chira, popularly known in social media circle as Oderaigbo or ApgaAlaigbo immediately or charge him to Court.
The call was made by a coalition of human right groups and pro democracy organizations in the South East, which included Human Right, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation (HURIJE), Campaign for Democracy (CD), Anambra Democratic Vanguard (ADV), South East Leaders of Thought, Ndigbo Unity Assembly, (NUA), South East Patriotic Forum (SEPF), Ekwenche United Forum among others.
Oderaigbo was arrested few days ago by the Police in Lagos and taken to the State Police Command, Ikeja, where he has been held in an underground cell.
The social media activist was said to have been arrested for the alarm he raised over planned construction of mosque at Obeledu in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State by an Anambra State born business mogul, Chief Anthony Enukeme, Chairman of TONIMAS oil.
In a crowded press conference addressed in Enugu by the groups, their coordinator, Dede Uzor A Uzor, said that Oderaa who has embarked on hunger strike since his arrest was hypertensive and his health has deteriorated since he was arrested leading to his collapse during interrogation.
The group said ” there was no justifications for the arrest of Oderaigbo who was just expressing his freedom of speech as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The rights groups warned that if within the next 24 hours the Police have not released Oderaigbo, they would embark on a massive protest in the South East, in addition to slamming the Police and all the collaborators with a suit.
“We are in a democratic country. If anybody feels aggrieved, the person should file a suit, instead of intimidating the citizens. IGP should not allow himself to be used. In line with his affirmation that he will protect human rights of the citizenry, he should abide by that promise and therefore should not allow his officers and men to destroy the good works he started and reputation” they said.
They called the United Nations (UN), Human Right Commission, United Nations Department for human rights and all prominent right activists in the country and other stakeholders to intervene.
