The Edo state police command has detained a human rights activist Osazee Edigin over a petition by a high court judge in the state.
Mr. Edigin who is the former public Relation Officer(PRO) of Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) was invited by the OC Human Rights Desk yesterday evening for a chat. Shortly after he honored the police invitation, he was shown a petition by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN) on behalf of the judge. He was asked to name the source of the video in circulation on social media, showing the unnamed judge beating a traffic light. A request he turned down.
My Osaze had on his Facebook page on 17 November reproduced a distress report by the Edo State Traffic Management Agency saying that a high court judge in Edo state disobeyed a traffic light in NAVIS junction on Mission road, Benin City and was trailed by officers of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency who apprehended the vehicle.
“A Prado jeep (black) with the registration number EE998BEN ran the red light at Navis junction, by mission road. The driver and the owner of the car, one Justice Imadegbello almost ran an officer down and in the process the side mirror of the vehicle got broken. The judge then mobilised her boys who came immediately with two Hilux Van’s to assault the EDSTMA officers on ground” the report said
The activist in the post had called on the Chief Judge of Edo state to investigate the incident as nobody is bigger than the law.” Assaulting officers on duty for doing their job just because you feel you are above the law is barbaric” He wrote
Activists and Lawyers who visited the detained activist yesterday night were denied access to him. It is unclear if the police will arraign him in court this morning as required by law.
When NOHR contacted the Public Relations Officer(PPRO) Edo state police command, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, he said he is not aware of the detention of the activist.
Meanwhile, the Edo Civil Society Coalition (EDOCSO) has called for his Immediate and unconditional release. Members of the coalition were seen this morning at the King Square Benin city mobilizing for a protest over the detention of leftist Osaze Edigin.
