Enugu LGA Polls: CLO Demands Unconditional Release Of APGA Detainees

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, Politics Sunday, January 26th, 2014

Ignatius Okpara

South- east branch of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has demanded for urgent and unconditional release of members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, from Isi-Uzo local government area in Enugu state currently being detained in Enugu prison and the state police headquarters.

Enugu Governor, Chime Sullivan

The human rights organization, in a petition to Governor, Sullivan Chime of Enugu state as well as the state commissioner of Police, Abubakar Mohammed, alleged that the harassment, victimisation, and continued arrest and detention of the APGA members by the police was instigated by the Chairman of Isi-Uzo local government area, Augustine Nnamani and the peoples Democratic Party, PDP, local government chairman Chijioke Ugwueze.

However, when contacted, the commissioner of Police, refused to react to the development. Barrister Olu Omotayo, the South East coordinator of CLO, in the petition said the organization believes the situation requires urgent attention as it concerns the plight of suffering members of APGA, in Isi–Uzo Local government.

The organisation, said it gathered that during the last Local government election which took place in the state on the 2nd November 2013, there was a fracas at the Umualor Community in Isi- Uzo Local government.

According to him, the said fracas witnessed confrontation between the supporters of APGA and the PDP which after the said election, the supporters of APGA in the local government have not known peace as some stalwart of the PDP led by the Local government chairman Mr. Augustine Nnamani and the PDP chairman Mr. Chijioke Ugwueze have launched massive attacks and victimization of the members of APGA, in the local government.

CLO also alleged that the above-mentioned personalities have also been instigating the Police to arrest APGA supporters, which have led to the massive arrest and detention of APGA supporters immediately after the election.

The detained persons according to CLO investigation, were taken to the State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID), of the Enugu State Police Command, Enugu where they were detained and later allowed to be taken on bail by the State Chairman APGA, Mr. Okechukwu Nkolagu.