Human Rights Day: Group demands immediate release of detained Okuama indigenes
The Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI) has called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the military to released the Okuama indigene allegedly detained by the authority.
The Warri-based non-governmental organisation made the call on Tuesday in commemoration of the 2024 Human Rights Day in Warri.
Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, the Executive Director, VREI led some members of the NGO and indigenes of Okuama Community to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents chapel for briefing.
Addressing newsmen, Egedegbe who is also a human rights advocate and global ambassador of peace, expressed concern over the unlawful detention of the individuals.
Egedegbe said that the presumed suspects have spent over 113 days in the military detention without trial in any competent court of law.
He said that such action was a clear violation of their fundamental human rights.
Egedegbe gave the names of the six detainees to include: Chief Belvis Adobo, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Dennis Okugbaye, Dennis Amalaka.
Others were: Mrs Mabel Owhemu and James Oghorokor who was recently reported to have allegedly died in the military custody.
“These individuals have been detained for over 113 days without any charge brought against them.
“This is a clear violation of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).
“This detention is also a breach of the principles democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
Recall that the suspects were allegedly whisked away in August by men suspected to be the Nigerian Army following the March 14, 2024 gruesome murder of 17 soldiers in the community.
Egedegbe expressed sadness over the death of the President-General of Okuama Community, Mr Oghorokor who allegedly passed on Dec. 4 at the military detention.
“We appealed to President Tinubu to prevail on the military for the immediate and unconditional release of the Okuama indigenes being detained by the military.
“We also appeal to the President to order the military to handover the investigation of suspects involved in the gruesome murder of the 17 officers and men of the military to the Police.
“We call for a Special Commission of Inquiring to investigate and unravel the remote cause of the March 14rh inferno, the Subsequent reprisal, and the burning down of the Okuama Community by the Army,” he appealed.
Also speaking, Mr John Ebireri, the Director of Public Relations, Ewu Clan Development Forum expressed concern over the prolong and undue detention of their kinsmen.
Ebireri who spoke on behalf of the community, said that despite persistent appeal to the federal government to prevail on the military to release their people, they were still languishing in detention.
“We called on the Army to discontinue the unlawful detention of our kinsmen forthwith. It is unfortunate that the Nigerian Army has kept our kinsmen in its custody without any charge brought against them at the court till date.
“In our view, 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 upon,” he said.
