There are reports that ace broadcaster and human rights activist, Mazi Chinonso Uba (Nonso Nkwa) who has been unlawfully detained for the past 29 days at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Abuja, despite a Court Order that he should be released on bail, is being pressurized to apologise to the Imo State government before he would be granted bail.
It was gathered from a family source that the Inspector General of Police IGP, is allegedly being used by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma to keep the Umunoha, Mbaitoli Local Government Area born social crusader out of circulation for as long as possible.
“Hence, the IGP, in defiance of a subsisting Order of a court of competent jurisdiction, offered Nonso Nkwa bail in the sum of #22m, and said he must get a Permanent Secretary who resides in Abuja. The Permanent Secretary would also, drop his or her international passport until the police arraigns him on a date that is yet to be scheduled”.
“Nonso Nkwa’s legal team contested the bail condition and were asked to apply for review, which they did. Curiously, instead of the IGP’s Monitoring Unit to grant him bail after approving the application, they told him to go and wait till the IGP approves it again”.
“When asked when the IGP would approve the application that they have already approved, they said they don’t know adding that the lawyers should keep coming to check. This is absolutely wrong and unacceptable because the Nigeria Police does not have the right to give administrative bail when a court of competent jurisdiction has already given an Order”
Continuing, the source said, “These actions of the IGP are not only threats to democracy but are also signs of his incompetence to occupy such exalted office. Civil Society Organisations should task the IGP on rule of law and human rights. It is a worrisome and dangerous red flag that an institution like the police would be a pun in the hands of politicians whose aim is simply to oppress innocent citizens.!!!
The government of Imo State is busy wasting money on the police to break Nonsonkwa and force him to apologize, so that they can use it against him and rubbish his hard earned reputation as a Human Rights Activist.
The questions remain; Why are they forcing Theodore Chinonso Uba Nonsokwa to apologise? Who will apologize to Nonsonkwa for the one month he has spent unlawfully in police custody? Who will apologize to Nonsonkwa’s family for all the physical, psychological and emotional torture that they have been through???
What about the damages???
Why is the Police and the government of Imo State afraid to arraign Nonsonkwa in court?
Are they afraid of the revelations such arraignment would throw up?”, he queried.
