17th August, 2012
Civil society organizations numbering up to 154 and individuals drawn from the six geo-political zones of the country have expressed their concerns over the continued detention of Reverend David Ugolor who was arrested on the 27t July, 2012 in Benin City.
Ugolor was arrested in connection with the murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, the private secretary to Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole. He was assassinated on 4 May in his residence in Benin.
The organizations and individuals are concerned that 18 days after his arrest, Ugolor is yet to be charged to court according to constitutional provisions, a development which the groups said was against his fundamental human rights.
“We caution, therefore, against the continued detention of Ugolor and ask that the Nigerian Police and all concerned authorities take the appropriate actions by either charging Ugolor to court now or release him without further unnecessary delays.
“As civil society organizations and individuals we are interested in finding the true killers of Comrade Oyerinde and call on the state’s security apparatus to expedite action in finding the real killers of Oyerinde,” the groups said in their statement.
“The Nigerian Police must ensure that their investigations into the murder case of Comrade Oyerinde is detailed and professional without any form of witch-hunt and side taking,” said Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi, executive director, Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGO), and one of the signatories to the statement.
The organizations and individuals call on governments at all levels in Nigeria to “protect the space for those advancing progressive, liberal ideas by strengthening the civil society space. The state and dominant political groups should work with civil society organizations in ensuring that the state of insecurity in Nigeria is properly addressed” while cautioning against labeling activists and civil society leaders wrongly.
Meanwhile, the police authority has moved Ugolor, Executive Director of African Network for Economic and Environmental Justice (ANEEJ) to Abuja.
He is reportedly being held at the Garki Police Divisional Headquarters, Abuja.
Rev. Ugolor was said to have been transferred to Abuja last Sunday about 3.47pm in a bus belonging to Uyo Motors from the Edo State Police Command.
Governor Oshiomhole has also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a high-powered Panel of Inquiry to look into the contradictions between two federal security agencies, the Nigerian Police Force and the State Security Services, (SSS), over the killing of Oyerinde.
In a statement, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Peter Okhiria, said: “the attention of Governor Adams Oshiomhole has been drawn to the contradictory claims by two federal security agencies, namely, the State Security Service and the Police Force over the killing of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, his Principal private Secretary.
“While the SSS paraded some people who alleged to have confessed to the killing of Comrade Oyerinde on account of armed robbery, the Nigeria Police also said they have in their custody exactly the same number of persons who allegedly confessed to the killing of Comrade Oyerinde.
“In fact, the police have gone ahead to arrest one Rev David Ugolor who is alleged to have been implicated as the sponsor of the murder. In order to clear the position of the Edo State Government, we wish to note the following:
“Following the murder of Comrade Oyerinde, the Governor gave the security agencies a 14-day ultimatum to find the killers, which he suspected was politically-motivated. Within a few days of his murder, Mr. Governor was informed by the SSS in confidence that they had made some progress, having located Comrade Oyerinde’s telephone and those who bought it and eventually using their own skills, they were able to arrest, one after the other, those who have since confessed that they killed Comrade Oyerinde.”
—Jethro Ibileke/Benin