A Nigerian lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to order the release of 40 persons reportedly in the detention of the Nigerian Navy.
He made the call in a letter dated 19 and made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.
Mr Falana, in the letter, said he has received complaints from the families of the detainees that they were not allowed to communicate with them (detainees).
He also said they are in dehumanising conditions for periods ranging from six to eight months without trial.
The letter titled, “Request for Release of 40 Nigerian Citizens from Illegal Custody of Nigerian Navy” also asked the president to sanction the Chief of Naval Staff for disobeying a court order freeing some of the suspects.
The Navy is yet to respond to Mr Falana’s letter.
READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW,
His Excellency,
Alhaji Mohammadu Buhari,
President & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Presidential Villa,
Aso Rock,
Abuja.
Your Excellency,
Request for the release of 40 Nigerian citizens from illegal custody of Nigerian Navy
We have received petitions from the family members of 40 Nigerian citizens being detained without trial by the Nigerian Navy. The names of the detainees are:
1. Captain Dada Labinjo,
2. Lt. Commander Sherifat Ibe Lambert
3. Benjamin Gold
4. Peter Pulle,
5. Pius Paul,
6. Onoja Reuben,
7. Adeleke Adewale,
8. Labinjo Kehinde,
9. Ogunmoyero Oluwasehun,
10. Emmanuel Oputa,
11. Innocent Sunday,
12. Iejoro Friday,
13. Hamza Yakubu,
14. Segun Yusuf.
15. Master-Melvin Jack ;
16 Chief Mate-Adebayo Mayoma
17. Chief Mate- Francis Oneyema
18 2nd Eng-Godwill Umoh
19 Bosin-Miebaka Iyala
20 Elect 2-Edu Fidelis
21. Elect 2-Richard DavidMore in Home
22 Camp Boss-Daniel Harrison
23. Asaiki Okeoghene
24 AB 1-Omogoye Bolaji
25 AB 2-Victor Uchendu
26 AB 3-Oloyede Ademola
27. Oiler-Simon Onyisi Mike
28. Eng cadet-Udom Victor Jerome
29 Godwin Etiaka Ojodusi
30. Sixtus Ganabel
31 Owei Ukuto
32 Jeremiah Victor
33 Collins Joel
34. Augustine Omonisa
35 MV Akemijo Deborah
36 Mike Simeon
37 Umoren Daniel
38 James Archibong
39 Umon Godswill Emmanuel.
It may interest Your Excellency to know that the above named detainees have been held incommunicado in dehumanising conditions for periods ranging from six to eight months. In fact, some of the detainees are incarcerated in an underground military detention facility in Abuja while others are held inside one of the vessels impounded by the Nigerian Navy. By subjecting the detainees to mental, psychological and physical torture the Naval Authorities have contravened the provisions of the Anti Torture Act, 2017.
Furthermore, in utter contempt of court the authorities of the Nigerian Navy have defied valid and subsisting orders of competent courts for the unconditional release of some of the detainees. Apart from such contemptuous conduct the Nigerian Navy recently denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the 15 detainees held in a detention facility in Abuja. As soon as we pointed out that the remand order procured by the Nigerian Navy for the detention of the 15 detainees had been quashed by the Chief Magistrate Court in Apapa, Lagos State the Naval Authorities turned round to file criminal charges against 5 of them before a Court Martial.
Since all the detainees are entitled to their fundamental rights to dignity and liberty guaranteed by sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and articles 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Ratification and Enforcement Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, we urge Your Excellency to direct the Chief Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, to either release the detainees from unlawful custody or arraign them in court without any further delay.
In view of the fact that the illegal detention of the 40 Nigerian citizens for without trial has exposed the Federal Government to unwarranted embarrassment the Chief of Naval Staff ought to be sanctioned by Your Excellency.
Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.
Yours sincerely,
FEMI FALANA, SAN, FCI Arb.
No comments:
Post a Comment