The whereabouts of 15 suspected members of the proscribed Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service last year have remained a source of trauma to their relatives and loved ones.
Speaking to NOHR about the situation last Friday, an Akwa-Ibom State-based housewife, Mrs. Godwin Udo lamented that all her efforts to trace her missing daughter had been in vain.
She said the arrest of 20-year-old Joy Godwin Udo, at Enugu on November 8, 2021, had given the family many sleepless nights. Joy’s father, Mr. Godwin Okon Udo also wondered why his daughter should be arrested over allegations of terrorism based on mere Facebook posts she made about Biafra.
NOHR findings revealed that one of the posts the young lady made under the name “Idara Biafra” had the following message: ”The people of Akwa-Ibom and Igbos are siblings. We all have good and bad people. Don’t generalize things.”
Joy was subsequently transferred to the headquarters of DSS in Abuja. The DSS authorities later claimed that she was transferred to Nigeria Army’s Wawa Barracks in Kainji, Niger State.
Already, a Federal High Court in Abuja has been approached to order her release or grant her bail. The legal action was taken through a suit filed by Barrister Nnaemeka Ejiofor on behalf of Joy and 14 other missing persons. Officials of the security agency said all the missing persons were transferred to Wawa Barracks. Despite the claim by DSS, the Army authorities have denied being in the custody of the missing persons.
One Emeka Ngonadi is among them. Barrister Ejiofor told our reporter that Ngonadi was arrested and detained by operatives of the DSS on April 10, 2021, on his way from Lagos where he went to buy goods for his business. He was later transferred to the same barracks.
In an affidavit deposed in the federal high court by one Ifeoma Nlewedim, an office Secretary in the Chambers of Ejiofor, she stated that the 15 missing persons were arrested at different times and places last year by the DSS. The affidavit further indicated that 11 of the missing persons were arrested at Lokoja, Kogi State on July 26, 2021, as they were traveling from Abuja to Ebonyi State. The DSS later claimed it transferred them to the same Kainji Army Barracks.
Other missing persons include Barrister Pius Awoke, Chinedu Nwoba, and Igwe Johnson Dike. Also arrested were, Ogbonnaya Joseph Aja, Kingsley Nwovu, Ogbonna David, Kenneth Ojima, Fortune Okezie, Joseph Okafor Eze, Emmanuel Onyibe Chinonso, Uket Godwin, and Ikechukwu Henry.
Nlewedim stated, “Among the missing persons are a lawyer and an ex-secondary school student who had just sat for the West African Examination Council Senior Secondary School Certificate examination. Others are businessmen and artisans.”
Nlewedim further stated that due to the disappearance of the above-named persons, their relations, families, and children have been subjected to very serious traumatic experiences and hardship.
On its part, the DSS has claimed that the long detention of the suspects was lawful. In response to the affidavit deposed to by Nlewedim, about Joy’s Udo’s case the DSS stated that
“The detention of Joy Godwin Udo (the applicant) was lawful as the second respondent (DSS) obtained a remand order from his worship F.E. Chukwu, Chief Magistrate Court Enugu, dated 9th November 2021 and valid until 23rd November 2021.”
After the expiration date of the remand order, the DSS filed another application requesting its extension but was not granted.
Despite the expiration of the remand order, the DSS refused to either release Joy Udo or charge her to court.
In response to the above development, Mr. Godwin Udo has pointed out that his daughter’s continued detention is illegal.
According to him: “Joy’s continued detention is illegal and the refusal to charge her to court is an absolute and gross violation of her fundamental rights as a human being. Everyone has the right to self-determination which is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration On Human Rights”.
Commenting on the situation Deji Ajare, a human rights lawyer and Executive Director of Sterling Law Centre said that enforced disappearance in whatever form is not acceptable “Even more worrisome is the recent spate of disappearances of thousands of civilian populations in North East and South East Nigeria, flowing from the military operations to counter the activities of Boko Haram terrorist group and secessionist agitations of members of the Independent People of Biafra, respectively”