Members of Protect the Weak International Foundation and Centre for Human Rights Defense International as well as Mrs Ifeoma Jovita Egemole, the detainee’s wife have all called for the immediate release of a business man, Kingsley Egemole, who was arrested by soldiers at the Ojo Military Barracks in Lagos on June 19, 2024.
At a press briefing in Abuja, the groups’ spokesman, Comrade Chinonso Uba Nonsonkwa faulted the continued detention of the businessman by the Nigerian military without access to his lawyers and family members, describing it as illegal. He also said the refusal of the army authority to charge him to court after 48 hours of detention was also illegal.
He described Mr Kingsley Egemole as a peace loving person who only proffered solutions on how to better the security network at Orsu Local Government Area in Imo state and received threats from some of those he described as benefiting from the crises in the area, who vowed to deal with him.
“He is a native of Umuhu Okabia in Orsu LGA of Imo State, but based in Lagos and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Young Builders Construction Company with head office at No 1 Akinsoji Street, off Igbobi Rd, Fadeyi in Lagos.
“He is a father and a husband who is always busy with work to feed his family and assist the less privileged in his native community under his NGO, Agbaedo Nkiti Foundation,” the spokesman said.
The groups also alleged that the military has subjected the suspect to terribly inhuman conditions of torture.
“This act is against both local and international law. The Anti-Torture Act expressly criminalizes acts of torture perpetrated by public officials.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Imo State House of Assembly, the United Nations and all international human rights groups as well as the general public, especially Ndi Imo and Ndi Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State to help in ensuring that the innocent young man is released by the military.
The spokesman also disclosed that when the family’s lawyer, Barr Nnaemeka Ejoifor, flew to Lagos from Abuja and visited Dodan Barracks with the suspect’s wife, to see him, they were denied access to him. “This particular act is against any known local or international law and the law is very explicit when it states that a suspect or an accused person has the right to defend himself or herself in person or through a counsel; and that a suspect or an accused person has the right to have a counsel present at all stages of the criminal proceedings, including during interrogation and pre-trial proceedings,” the groups spokesman added.
The family lawyer said he met with the Chief of Military Intelligence, Major-General Bobby and Brig.-Gen Umar David, who interrogated him on the fresh evidence he submitted to show his client is a very peaceful person. The lawyer said he presented audio recordings to show that his client was facing series of threats after proffering a peaceful solution in resolving the security situation in his local government area.
Also commenting on phone, wife of the detainee, Mrs Ifeoma Jovita Egemole, said she has not set eyes on her husband since his arrest by military police personnel on June 19.
She said all efforts to see her husband in various military detention facilities were prevented by soldiers.
