Ben Ezechime, Enugu
A 76 years old septuagenarian, Pa J. Onyemuruogu, a resident of Enugu State has appealed to the Nigeria Police authorities for the release of his son, Chidera Onyemuruogu, arrested on the 22nd March 2018, by operatives of Anti-Cult Base, Nigeria Police, Enugu.
Onyemuruogu said that the anti-cult operatives invaded their residence at House 1, Nwandu Estate, New Haven, Enugu on that fateful day and whisked his son away until now.
This was contained in a letter written on his behalf by Olu Omotayo , Esq, a human rights activist addressed to the Chairman of Police Service Commission, Abuja.
In the letter, the rights activist alleged that Chidera Onyemuruogu was severely beaten on that fateful day and was later whisked away by operatives from Anti-Cult Police Base, Enugu.
According to the letter: “Pa Onyemuruogu, further stated that while his son was kept in custody for months without being granted bail, his family secured the services of a lawyer who filed a Fundamental Rights Enforcement Suit at the Enugu State High Court seeking the release of Chidera Onyemuruogu.
“The judgment in the suit was made available to us and it was titled: Suit No. E/523/2018, CHIDERA ONYEMURUOGU V. (1) MR. EKELEME (SP), (2) THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF ANTI CULT SQUAD, ENUGU, (3) THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE ENUGU STATE (4) THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (5) POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION.
“The Enugu State High Court Presided over by Hon. Justice C.O. Ajah (PhD), gave judgment in the said suit on the 14th day of January 2019, and ordered among other things that: a) Chidera has the right to life and granted an Order restraining the defendants by themselves their servants agents and privies from terminating the life of the Applicant or threatening same in any manner.”
Pa Onyemuruogu, further stated that the Police did not obey the Court judgment and the Committal Proceedings filed by his lawyer to commit the 1st and 2nd defendants to Prison for disobeying Court Order.
Omotayo, who is the President of Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) said that the appeal by Pa Onyemuruogu, to the Government and Nigerian people to come to his aid and assist him to get justice was timely and imminent.
He said: “The aged citizen demands that he wants to know the whereabouts of his son and if he has been extra judicially killed, the perpetrators should be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“We join this aged Nigerian citizen to demand justice in respect of this grave rights violation.
“We submit that the Hallmark of Democracy is the respect for the fundamental rights of the citizens as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We urge you to in the interest of Justice, urgently address this grave rights violation and ensure justice as the circumstances of this case demands.”
