Tonye Okio: President Jonathan’s Critic Has Been Arrested By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde
Posted: October 29, 2013 - 12:28


Tonye Okio
By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde
Sir Tonye Okio, a noted critic of President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Henry Dickson of Bayelsa State, has been arrested.

According to publicly available information, Mr. Okio was arrested on Saturday April 28, by officials of the Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) of the Nigeria Police and summarily taken to Yenagoa, where he is being detained in solitary confinement over his comments --- comments deemed critical of poor governance, corruption, and the hubris and excesses of government officials.

On Facebook and other social media, Tonye Okio wrote extensively about the need for moderation, accountability, and the human and infrastructural development of the country.

He was also very active on the Ijaw Nation Forum (a forum for Ijaw worldwide) where he championed the plight of the downtrodden and vigorously condemned the searing poverty and underdevelopment of the Niger Delta.

What brought him to the attention of the Police, the State Security Service (SSS) and other security and intelligence services, was his constant but honest criticism of President Jonathan and Governor Dickson.

That he is from the same region/state with the President did not dissuade him from speaking the truth, or be less critical of wrongs and the rut that has come to characterize his home state and country.

In addition to being a torn on the flesh of the President, many see his arrest as part of the “house-cleaning exercise” by the Goodluck Jonathan camp. This argument is plausible because Mr. Okio is an ally of Governor Timipre Sylva. In today’s Bayelsa State, many known allies and supporters of Chief Sylva are being persecuted.

According to the information found on the pages of the Nigerian Current website, this is the chronology of events as they happened:



On Saturday, October 26, about 15 men, including plain-clothes Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) officials and those attached to the Police Mobile Force (otherwise known as kill-and-go Police), invaded the Abuja residence of Tonye Okio in three vehicles (one Prado Jeep and two Police Escort vans) and forcefully seized him. Thereafter, they took his iPad and the mobile phones of himself and his younger sister;


After getting their target, he was taken to the headquarters of the Abuja Command of the Nigeria Police. He stayed with his abductors who claimed they were trying to arrange a flight to take him to Yenagoa via Port Harcourt International Airport.


When the flight arrangement failed, the police decided to take Tonye by road. They left Abuja about 4:00 pm Saturday and arrived Yenagoa about 1:00 am on Sunday, October 27. He was taken straight to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Nigeria Police where he is being detained illegally;


The Police authorities claim that Tonye Okio will be charged for allegedly writing on his Facebook page recently that an unnamed South-South Governor was recently caught in the US with 5 million USD. Tonye denies the charge;

Since his detention, Sir Okio has been denied access to visitors. Police sources say they have been given stern instructions by the Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Hillary Opara, to deny that Tonye Okio is at the State CID;


In addition to the regular police that man the gates of the State CID, the surroundings have been taken over by Mobile Police men, numbering about 10, apparently because of the high value detainee;
[b]In the recent past, Professor Okey Ndibe, a noted public intellectual was detained in Nigeria for doing what democracy, decency and patriotism demands of him. Since Okey Ndibe was first harassed, many critics and public intellectuals have been warned to desist in their criticism of President Jonathan and his administration.

We also know this to be the case in Bayelsa State where Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, Jonathan’s surrogate and apologist, have been harassing and tormenting critics and opponents. This is a state where everyone must toe the line. Dissension is not allowed. Critics and criticism are not welcomed.

President Jonathan and Governor Henry Dickson must stop this idea that “You are either for us or against us.” Persecuting and prosecuting critics must stop. Sending “attack dogs” after opponents must stop. Investigating and spreading lies against perceived opponents and critics must also stop. In other words, private and public witch-hunting by government and its agents must stop.[/b]

If Tonye Okio abridged the law, then, charge and prosecute him before a legally constituted court of law. Even so, the rule of law must not be personalized. We are however confident – very confident -- that he is being intimidated and terrorized because of his politics.

Power is fleeting, it is transient. It is therefore futile and reckless to get drunk on power. And so we call on President Jonathan and Governor Dickson to commence the immediate release of Sir Tonye Okio. If law abiding citizens like Mr. Okio are being harassed and illegally detained, then, no one can be safe from the tyranny and ruthlessness of the state and or federal government.



Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

Montgomery, Alabama

Sabidde@yahoo.com

http://saharareporters.com/article/tonye-okio-president-jonathan%E2%80%99s-critic-has-been-arrested-sabella-ogbobode-abidde

Who said Mobutu was Dead...?

that's why we haven't seen dayokanu recently.

sagombugo: Who said Mobutu was Dead...?

A clannish and insecure President on the road to perdition and unable to minimally understand the simplistic message that power is transient. If true then no surprise whatsoever because it has always been correct that GEJ has a divisive mindset of “You are either for us or against us.”

I thought such things like this happen only in military administration? Its so disappointing than Jonathan and Dickson are going about arresting their critics. What happened to freedom of expression and information?

Charge Tonye Okio or let him go.

By the way, why was Dickson not taken along for the shindig in Jerusalem?

The Police authorities claim that Tonye Okio will be charged for allegedly writing on his Facebook page recently that an unnamed South-South Governor was recently caught in the U.S. with 5 million USD. Tonye denies the charge;

Since his detention, Sir Okio has been denied access to visitors. Police sources say they have been given stern instructions by the Bayelsa State Police Commissioner, Mr Hillary Opara, to deny that Tonye Okio is at the State CID;

If Dickson believes he is the said governor alleged to have issues of money laundering in the U.S., he should know what to do as a lawyer. Using the police to harass, intimidate and blackmail a political opponent is indecent. Besides, this action amounts to a privatisation of the Nigeria Police;

Source


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOMMWeExwh4

Freedom of expression is not absolute, the world over. If u must talk, talk peace and not indoctrinate or incite rebellion/terrorism against the state.

Freedom of expression is not absolute, the world over. If u must talk, talk peace and not indoctrinate or incite rebellion/terrorism against the state.

The last time i checked, we were practising democracy!

Democracy, the demon in nigeria is really crazy.

No more freedom of speech, God please we need the speech of freedom!

waternogetenemy: Freedom of expression is not absolute, the world over. If u must talk, talk peace and not indoctrinate or incite rebellion/terrorism against the state.

really,why is asari dokubo still walking about as a free man? He did worse because he incited a rebellion/terrorism against a nation. He ought to behind bars for the bold. I don't see why someone who expresses his opinion about his own state and president be arrested/kidnapped.

gbanikiti: I thought such things like this happen only in military administration? Its so disappointing than Jonathan and Dickson are going about arresting their critics. What happened to freedom of expression and information?

Imagine the draconian nature of the whole thing. Arrested and shunted all over Nigeria and then held incommunicado at the behest of some insecure and power-drunk 'throwback' misrulers. I know Sabidde as well. Geezer is my buddy from way back and unlikely to be making anything up. Like I said before, power is transient and some will know the full meaning of that saying in future.

This argument is plausible because Mr. Okio is an ally of Governor Timipre Sylva.

So the guy is an ally front man of Timipre Sylva? I hope we all know the antecedent of Mr. Timipre ?

Well, as the saying goes, show me your friend, and I will tell you who you are.

Nuff said!

Is this intended to strike fear into the hearts of critics and opposers of Mr.Goodluck Jonathan? If that's what it is,then somebody should help me tell them that they fail woefully! Nothing can stop the voice of the impoverished masses!

Tolexander: Arrested on kidnapped?

ASUU please! What are you people agitating for?

gbanikiti: really,why is asari dokubo still walking about as a free man? He did worse because he incited a rebellion/terrorism against a nation. He ought to behind bars for the bold. I don't see why someone who expresses his opinion about his own state and president be arrested/kidnapped.

Do you not know that it has been established, beyond doubt, that it is those who are terrorists, militants and/or 'carry guns' who gain respect and patrimony from GEJ? Why on earth would Asari-Dokubo be in jail? Jail is for the likes of this guy and other 'meek' voices.

waternogetenemy: Freedom of expression is not absolute, the world over. If u must talk, talk peace and not indoctrinate or incite rebellion/terrorism against the state.

GEJ's boot lickers are everywhere.. Even on NL!

I want to beseech the South Westerners to not get involved in this case, not because I do not personally feel for this man or that his cause is not just. Let us see if the SE will speak up for this injustice or the "oyel" people will speak up! Yorubas, do not get involved this time and let us see if Hilly Opara an iboman will do the right thing by confessing to the evil he has done on the prompting off the retardeenic GEJ. Maybe SR, Professor Soyinka, Falana, FFK, etc will just take a sabbatical for 6 months and let us see if what Ibos will do or the oyel owners will do to demand justice from this accursed generation of GEJ presidency and his ass eaters.

Sorry Mr. Okio, we've been trying for so long but they will eventually blame us and the Yoruba Lagos press for why you are kidnapped and then the APC, Tinubu, Fashola, etc. Let us see what will be done by these people.

Let me digress a little.

They say Mr. Okio is an intellectual and the oppressor is the President, perhaps that's why his case has been given voice by our Resident Hypocrite, and his gangs.


When Nigerians were rounded up in the street, sent to detention camps for several months, unceremoniously and wickedly dumped by the foot of the bridge in the dead of the night, these same hypocrites claimed it was just and fair, and that the victims were destitute and derange, because their benefactor - Fashola was the aggressor in chief.

Perhaps since I don't know Mr. Okio from Adam, I could be justified in saying he is a destitute, even deranged, and is currently being rehabilitated in a Federal Rehabilitation center. I could say it with the same ferocity as the hypocrites who defended the deportation saga.

Those who come to equity must learn to come with clean hands.

Gbawe:

Do you not know that it has been established, beyond doubt, that it is those who are terrorists, militants and/or 'carry guns' who gain respect and patrimony from GEJ? Why on earth would Asari-Dokubo be in jail? Jail is for the likes of this guy and other 'meek' voices.

Honestly, am not surprised. Those who are meant to be in jail are worshiped as lords and given contracts just because they come from the oil region. Someone who simply made constructive criticisms is arrested? Well,jonathan should be ready to arrest more critics because they won't keep quiet and watch this country go down in turmoil.

nairaman66:

GEJ's boot lickers are everywhere.. Even on NL!

Majority of them are best ignored since they never have anything sensible to say anyway.

As far as its coming from sahara reporters, this needs to be taken to the joke section.

Niger Delta have new Slave Masters - (their very own elites).

gbanikiti: Honestly, am not surprised. Those who are meant to be in jail are worshiped as lords and given contracts just because they come from the oil region. Someone who simply made constructive criticisms is arrested? Well,jonathan should be ready to arrest more critics because they won't keep quiet and watch this country go down in turmoil.

Bruv, Nigeria is a 'gangster paradise' under GEJ. Like you, I too feel that 'muzzling' dissenting voices will get worse as the desperation and paranoia of GEJ and his 'crew' grows.

gbanikiti: Honestly, am not surprised. Those who are meant to be in jail are worshiped as lords and given contracts just because they come from the oil region. Someone who simply made constructive criticisms is arrested? Well,jonathan should be ready to arrest more critics because they won't keep quiet and watch this country go down in turmoil.

My dear sister,

Would you be referring to Tinubu or his side-kick Fashole? If you are remotely referring to the duo, then you are absolutely spot on. A people that worship Tinubu rather than decry his impunity must be doomed.

I perfectly agree that Jonathan should use the instrument of his office to ensure this big thief is put behind bars. So much effort is expended already on the little guys.

lygn19: As far as its coming from sahara reporters, this needs to be taken to the joke section.

Can you not read? The article was penned by Sabella Ogbobode Abidde not Sahara reporters. I have known Sabidde personally for years and he is no paid hack like Omokri et al. You can believe what you want anyway. That is entirely your prerogative.

egift: South-South has new Slave Masters - (their own elites).

To be honest, the good guys of the region should really rise up against the Odili part 2 saga the leaders of the SS are currently delivering.

This man is supposedly 'an anti-corruption crusader', yet he is an ally of Timipre Sylva of all persons. Sahara Reporters should stop insulting our intelligence please. We don't really know why this guy was arrested, but it is almost certainly not cos he is a critic of GEJ nor cos he is an anti-corruption activist. If the President was in the habit of hoarding his critics, SR itself would not still be in existence

According to this report:

According to publicly available information, Mr. Okio was arrested on Saturday April 28 , by officials of the Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) of the Nigeria Police and summarily taken to Yenagoa, where he is being detained in solitary confinement over his comments --- comments deemed critical of poor governance, corruption, and the hubris and excesses of government offici

How can they miss the mistake in Red above? April 28 is not the same as Oct. 29.


At any rate, GEJ's days are numbered.

lygn19: As far as its coming from sahara reporters, this needs to be taken to the joke section.

You could say that a thousand times, and would be right every time. Sahara Reporter is the mouth piece of the ugly and angry, purveyors of lies, masters of misdirection, and children of anger. They speak for now the hypocrites! Imagine the impudence, Mr. Okio, ally to the disgraced corrupt Sylvia Timipre is now a saint! Truly, this thread is a joke!

PointB: Let me digress a little.

They say Mr. Okio is an intellectual and the oppressor is the President, perhaps that's why his case has been given voice by Resident Hypocrite, and his gangs.


When Nigerians were rounded up in the street, sent to detention camps for several months, unceremoniously and wickedly dumped by the foot of the bridge in the dead of the night, these same hypocrites claimed it was just and fair, and that the victims were destitute and derange, because their benefactor - Fashola was the aggressor in chief.

Perhaps since I don't know Mr. Okio from Adam, I could be justified in saying he is a destitute, even deranged, and is currently being rehabilitated in a Federal Rehabilitation center. I could say it with the same ferocity as the hypocrites who defended the deportation saga.

Those who come to equity must learn to come with clean hands.

You did not digress at all. You are totally on point.

nameo: This man is supposedly 'an anti-corruption crusader', yet he is an ally of Timipre Sylva of our people. Sahara Reporters should stop insulting our intelligence please. We don't really know why this guy was arrested, but it is almost certainly not cos he is a critic of GEJ nor cos he is an anti-corruption activist. If the President was in the habit of hoarding his critics, SR itself would not still be in existence

How illiteratic and shamefully hollow thou art! SaharaReporters for your information is based in US so yr jaundiced opinion on GEJ not being dictatorial is hogwash cos his calloused hand of infamy can't touch them

That the man is helping to give voice to Timipre Sylva issue's does not take away anything from his activistic credentials

Alfa Seltzer:

You did not digress at all. You are totally on point.

lol, Na so o.