Police Arrest Former Minister Oby Ezekwesili
A former minister and convener of the #BringBackOurGirls group, Oby Ezekwesili, was earlier today arrested and she’s being detained by the police in Abuja.
It is understood that her arrest is connected to the activities of the group.
She took to twitter to call out President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Police force in a series of tweets.
See her tweet below:
P @MBuhari :
I have been ARRESTED along with rest of our BBOG members and NOW DETAINED without a charge by the .@PoliceNG . WE are detained at the FCT command . The Police here has REFUSED to tell us why we are DETAINED.What Are WE Demanding?
BringBackOurGirlsNOW!!!!!!!— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 23, 2018
Without stating the reason for our ARREST & DETENTION, Commissioner of Police at the FCT Command of .@PoliceNG CP Bello has asked us to be LET OUT of their Station.
WE INSISTED ON A FORMAL CHARGE &RELEASE but his response?
“I am the Commissioner& NOW RELEASE you to go”— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 23, 2018
I am still in shock to have witnessed @PoliceNG undemocratic practice and detention of @obyezeks as guranteed by the Nigerian constitution, as a citizen. pic.twitter.com/UZpFs16wV8
— Hamzat Lawal💡Hamzy! {Etim} 🔦 (@HamzyCODE) January 23, 2018
According to her, Aisha Yesufu, Ms Maureen Kabrik, Jeff Okoroafor and four others were also arrested.
The reported false imprisonment & detention of @obyezeks & members of @BBOG_Nigeria makes a mockery of @MBuhari's claim that this govt is one of change that is governed by d rule of law. The authorities should immediately release them & allow them to freely exercise their rights https://t.co/I5mLRp7YrT
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) January 23, 2018
Reacting to the reported arrest, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in a statement via its Twitter page, demanded the immediate release of those arrested.
SERAP tweeted, “The reported false imprisonment & detention of @obyezeks & members of @BBOG_Nigeria makes a mockery of @MBuhari’s claim that this govt is one of change that is governed by d rule of law. The authorities should immediately release them & allow them to freely exercise their rights.”
- How I was imprisoned in broad daylight – Ezekwesili
In an interview with newsmen, Ezekwesili narrated what led to the arrest and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order the release of all the members of the group.
“Today we gathered to do our usual march, and the Nigerian police refused for us to leave the Unity Fountain (in Abuja),” she said.
“Some of our colleagues have already gone and they are going to be giving their press statement there.
“Those of us that they have locked in here, in particular, they have refused that I should move.
“They have built a human prison and have violated my fundamental right to freedom of movement and association and therefore I want it to be on record that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has infringed the constitution by violating my fundamental right to freedom of movement and association and this cannot be allowed to happen in a democracy.
“If there is anyone there listening to this, they must tell President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the IG of Nigerian police to let the officers who have imprisoned me in broad daylight, to let me go about my business.
“I am a law-abiding citizen of this country. I see no reason why my right should be violated. And so right now I will continue to insist that these officers allow me to move out of the Unity Fountain.”
