March 7, 2017
By Ijendu Iheaka
The
Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Aba unit has condemned the frequent arrest
of Aba Vendors by soldiers in Aba, Abia state.
This was contained in a media release
made available to newsmen in Aba on Tuesday and signed by Dr. Charles Chinekezi,
chairman of Aba unit of CLO.
The condemnation followed last week’s
manhandling of Aba Sales Representatives of Thisday
and Authority newspapers and arrest
of two vendors by Soldiers from the Ngwa Road Forward Operation Base (FOB).
Those arrested included a 64 year
old woman Newspaper distributor, Mrs. Theresa C. Oloveze (Jecima) and a vendor,
Mr. Obinna C. Ogbonna for allegedly selling Newspapers bearing “Biafra” news
reports.
Dr. Chinekezi, said it was
disturbing the army in Aba would believe that ordinary newspaper vendors would
be behind publications carrying stories on issues of Biafra.
The release reads in part, “The CLO
totally condemns the Gestapo approach employed by the Nigerian army in Abia to
arrest, torture and clamp into detention innocent newspaper vendors in Aba whom
they alleged to be behind the sale of publications carrying stories on issues
of Biafra.
“The CLO enjoins Acting President
Yemi Osinbajo to take up this matter as the victims of the soldiers’
unwholesome attack have been unduly brutalized and traumatized for merely trumped-up
charges of being behind the Biafran movement which by all intents and purposes
could never be the truth.
“For the benefit of doubt,
Mrs. Chinyere Ibe and Simon Obi are sales representatives of Authority
and Thisday Newspapers respectively while Mrs. Theresa Oloveze and
Obinna Ogbonna as newspaper distributor and vendor respectively could never
have been Biafra propagandists as alleged by the soldiers”.
While wondering the persistent
clampdown of newspaper vendors in Aba by the army, CLO said the soldiers should
know that no law exists in Nigeria which criminalized the mention of Biafra in
any publication.
The organization which was sad that 64
year old Mrs. Oloveze spent last week in detention, for no known crime, appealed
to army authorities to call its personnel in Aba to order.
It also urged them to stop the
constant harassment of newspaper men and women in the city.
It would be recalled that late last year, an Aba-based
vendor was arrested by soldiers from the same base for allegedly selling
“Biafra Newspapers”.
He was later transferred to the headquarters of
the 14 brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia from where he was released after
weeks in detention.
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