2024 Human Rights Day: Group, Ewu Kingdom Calls On Tinubu To Prevail On Army Authority To Release From Detention Six Okuama Indigenes

Ogheneruona Tejiri Warri

President Ahmed Tinubu has been called upon to prevail on military authorities to release six indigenes of Okuama Community who have been in detention for the past 113 days in the wake of Okuama crisis where seventeen soldiers were killed.

This call was made by Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, Executive Director, Value Rebirth & Empower Initiative and Sir John Ebireri, Director, Public Relations, Ewu Clan Development Forum while addressing journalists in Warri to mark World Human Rights Day 2024.

Pastor Egedegbe said that in commemoration of Human Rights Day 2024, they are expressing their concerns over the long detention of Prof. Arthur Ekpokpo, Hon. Belvis Adogbo, Mr. Dennis Okugbaye, Mr. Dennis Amalaka, Owhemu Mabel and Mr. James Oghoroko who allegedly died in detention without any charge brought against them.

According to Pastor Egedegbe, “these individuals have been in detention for over 113 days without any charge brought against them. We believe this is a clear violation of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution as amended. Their detention is a breach of the principles of democracy and the rule of law.”

The group expressed sadness over the death of the President-General of Okuama Community in Ewu Kingdom Mr. James Oghorokor who died in Army detention on December 4, 2024, adding, ” we demand that a thorough investigation be conducted into the circumstances surrounding his death.”

The group then called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining five Okuama indigenes being detained by the military.

The group also called on the President to order the military to handover the investigation of issue to the Police, adding, “we demand that you order for the immediate and unconditional release of Prof. Arthur Ekpokpo, Mr. Dennis Okugbaye, Hon. Belvis Adogbo Dennis Amalaka and Owhemu Mabel and any other Indigene of Okuama being detained by the military.

“Remind the military that this is a democratic regime and their act of impunity will not be tolerated. Set up a Special Commission of inquiry to investigate and unravel the remote cause of the March 14th crisis, the Subsequent reprisal and the burning down of the Okuama Community by the Army.

“Ensure that the Army operates within the confines of Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended). “

In his speech on behalf of Ewu Development Forum, Sir Ebireri, in a Save Our Soul(SOS) message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the unlawful detention of the six Okuama Community indigenes by the military expressed deep worries over the continuous detention of the six indigenes of Okuama Community by the Army despite persistent cry out and appeal to the Federal Government to intervene and order the Nigerian Army to respect the rule of law.

According to Sir Ebireri, “we urged President Bola Tinubu to treat with urgency, while expressing further alarm over a recent report of the death of Mr. James Oghorokor, President General of Okuama Community, one of the six indigenes of Okuama languishing in Army’s detention facilities.

“As the death of James Oghorokor puts us and the entire people of Ewu-Kinhdom in mourning mood, we are constrained to emphasize that no authority or security agency has legal justification to take anybody’s life save in execution of the sentence of a court order.

“In the eyes of law, our kinsmen who are being detained by the Nigerian Army are presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of law. Therefore, their right to fair hearing in court is inviolable, We call on the Army to discontinue the unlawful detention of our kinsmen forthwith.

“We further note that in line with the extant laws of the Country, the Nigerian Army must be circumspect in order not to usurp the duties of the Police, our kinsmen, now in Army custody are not members of the Armed Forces, therefore, they’re not subject to the service laws.

“In whatever guise the military might want to validate their action in this case, it is instructive to reiterate that the fundamental rights of our kinsmen in Army detention must not be trampled on.”

Sir Ebireri then called on President Tinubu and well meaning Nigerians and international community to prevail on the Army, adding, “we are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the Chief of Army Staff(COAS)to take further action to protect the rights of the oppressed. We also call on well meaning Nigerians and the international community to prevail on the Army to release our innocent brothers and sisters who were not present in Okuama nor were they aware of the purported peace mission by the Army on March 14,2024 from captivity after over 113 days without trial. Enough is enough.’