Achonu seeks freedom for detained journalist, Chinonso Uba

The Senator Athan Achonu Imo 2023 Governorship Campaign Council has condemned the Gestapo-style abduction and continued detention of popular broadcaster, Theodore Chinonso Uba, also known as Nonso Nkwa.

Nonso Nkwa was on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at about 11:00 am abducted by gun-wielding, hooded men that turned out to be security operatives near Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, at the Control area of Owerri, the Imo State capital. He was on his way home from work after anchoring his Igbo morning programme at the Ozisa FM radio station.

Nonso Nkwa has remained in confinement to date without being charged to court since then.

“We had thought that the journalist would have since regained his freedom. We feel that his continued detention is an abuse of his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“This brazen treatment of a professional journalist is deplorable, condemnable, and a flagrant abuse of political power by the Imo State government.

“Without conceding to the fact that Nonso Nkwa is guilty of defaming Governor Uzodimma or the state government as alleged in a statement by the Imo State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, he should be charged to court to defend himself; this is the proper step to take,” the council said in a statement by its Director-General Engr. Chime Nzeribe.

Lamenting that Imo  has become the most terrorised state East of Niger under Uzodimma, the  Labour Party,L LP candidate said “he once peaceful state has become a dangerous place to live in and people are fleeing in droves for fear of being caught in the crossfire of non-state actors, who many believe are backed by the government.”

He continued: “We roundly condemn the operatives for abandoning their professional calling and electing to be willing tools of oppression.”

“Uzodinma’s drowning government has continued to flounce about, slamming every opponent with false petitions, using his goons and willing security agents. From former Governor Rochas Okorocha to Hon. Gerald Irona, Emeka.

Ihedioha, Uche Nwosu to Ikenga Ugochinyere, there is nobody that has spoken against his tepid governance of the state that he has not accused of sponsoring insecurity whereas the people know who is behind the reign of terror and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Imo State.

“It is on this premise that we call on the new Inspector General of Police, Tunde Egbetokun,  the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Army to look into the state of anomie in Imo, fish out the compromised, criminal elements among their men and transfer them out of the state, especially as the November gubernatorial election approaches.

“We also appeal to President Bola Tinubu to decisively tackle the issue of insecurity in Imo State, and other parts of the South-East and the country. The anti-democratic, anti-people, and unconstitutional state-sponsored terror in Imo State should be of great concern to Mr. President and the top echelon of the country’s security apparatchik and should be addressed before dabbling into the internal affairs of Niger Republic. Charity, they say, begins at home.

“It is a travesty of justice and fairness that while known government agents that openly threatened and in some cases carried out acts against the people roam about freely under the protection of the government, innocent people are arrested and clamped into detention simply because they expressed their views against the repression going on in Imo State” he added.

 

Vanguard

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