Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo State Council, Comrade Precious Nwadike has said that Declan Emelumba, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Imo State should be held responsible, if anything happens to Mazi Chinonso Uba (Nonso Nkwa) who is currently being detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department FCID, Abuja.
Nwadike, who stated this while addressing journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday, said, “we have made several efforts to secure the release of Nonso Nkwa of Ozisa fm radio station who is being detained for a bailable offence. But the state government always frustrated our efforts. If their plan is to keep Nonso Nkwa out of circulation till after the November, 11, election, that would not work”.
He further disclosed that the NUJ had issued a release, requesting the police to charge Nonso Nkwa to court for whatever offence they claim that he committed adding that his continued detention without trial is an infringement on his fundamental rights.
“We are blaming Emelumba for the radio broadcaster’s arrest and detention, because as the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, he should not, because of his vindictive life style, drag the Governor into victimizing media practitioners in the state. The laughable aspect of it, is that each time he does that, he hires miscreants to start defending his ill-conceived agenda that is aimed at perpetually holding journalists in the state to ransom”.
Comrade Nwadike, who contested the March, 18, 2023 House of Assembly election for Orlu State constituency on the platform of Labour Party, reminded Emelumba that power is transient,pointing out that he, (Nwadike) few years ago, suffered similar faith in the hands of the former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha and his son-in-law Uche Nwosu for publishing a report about the “missing bailout fund” which was alleged to have been carted away by the latter’s domestic aide.
“They invaded my office, harassed and terrorized my staff with the tacit support and assistance of the then Commissioner of Police in the state. But today, Okorocha, is no longer in power, neither is his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu”.
He expressed optimism that Nonso Nkwa will be released in no distant time, stressing that, “those who say that Nonso Nkwa should be left to die in detention because he is not a registered member of the NUJ are being myopic and irrational. Every Imolite is entitled to justice, whether or not he is a Journalist”.
He also recalled how Emelumba had always conspired with state actors against journalists in the state, including Vivian Otti a former staff of Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), and the staff of Reach fm radio station, who was also abducted in like manner and detained for several weeks sometime ago, among others.
Journalists in Imo State have taken note of Emelumba’s activities and have placed him where he belongs in the hall of infamy”.
