Detain me, Uwazuruike begs police
EMMA OGU, Owerri
It was drama at the Imo state police command yesterday, as leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, turned up to the command and requested to be detained till February 28, when he is to formally report to the Abuja High Court that granted him temporary bail of three months to bury his mother.
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The MASSOB leader was at the Command for his usual weekly reporting to the police in fulfillment of the condition given by Abuja Court for his temporary bail. But yesterday, he came with a different agenda, to go into the police cell. However, both the Commissioner of Police, Donald Iroham and his Deputy, Ahmed Yusuf were not willing to grant his request but abandoned the command for him.
On arrival, Uwazuruike moved to the office of Mr. Iroham and was told he had gone for security meeting at Government House, Owerri as a result of which he proceeded to the office of Yusuf. While Yusuf was trying to bring out the usual register where the MASSOB leader signs for his reporting, Uwazuruike told him that he came this time with something beyond that.
Said thus : "it is my intention to turn my self in to the command today (yesterday) for detention. I was not granted bail. Abuja High court only asked me to go and burry my late mother and come back. That I have done and I have no reason to continue to breath the air of freedom when my boys are languishing in prison. It is morally wrong for me to continue to stay outside the prison when my boys are inside the detention room. If any one should be imprisoned it is Ralph Uwazuruike because I formed and floated MASSOB. It is a travesty of justice to free me and leave my boys. Perhaps on the 28th of January given to me my boys will be brought to court in black maria and I will be taken to court in a limousine car. Having buried my mother, it will be morally wrong for me to continue to stay outside the prison where my boys are kept".
He stated that every thing about him is being politicized because even Ganiyu Adams, leader of O’odua People’s Congress arrested and detained with him was freed together with his boys. According to Uwazuruike, he rejected his release from prison until he was assured that his boys would be released three weeks later but only to found that they are still in prison now.
He therefore said "sir I have conducted myself peacefully since I came back and even my mother’s funeral was very peaceful but if you refuse to detain me and push me out from this station I will go and sit in the street and bad people may cash in on the situation to cause trouble. Please do not hold me responsible.
In response, Yusuf thanked him for strictly adhering to the bail condition given to him as well as the law since he returned. He noted that despite the fact that the command was not formally served or notified that the MASSOB leader should be reporting on weekly basis he has on his own been doing that.
He, however, stated that the latest decision by Uwazuruike requesting to be detained was above him and told him that can handle the matter. Ahmed, nevertheless, pleaded with the MASSOB leader not to embark on his decision to be detained or to sit in the street. He commended him for his peaceful conduct so far especially during the burial of his mother.
As Uwazuruike insisted on waiting for Iroham’s return, Yusuf told him to stay any where including his office but that if he (Ralph) opts to remain in his office he will leave the place for him.
Uwazuruike left the place with his team but remained at the premises. Yusuf quickly locked up his office and went away. As at 3.30 pm, when the security council meeting was said to have ended Iroham did not come back rather information came that he had gone home from government house.
It took the intervention of Uwazuruike’s lawyer, Festus Keyamo for the MASSOB leader to go home. The MASSOB leader told journalists that he had been instructed to go home by his lawyer who assured him that something is being done for his detained boys and as such he cannot disobey him.
Iroham reportedly returned to his office after Uwazuruike and his team had left apparently acting on information from his men around.
http://odili.net/news/source/2008/jan/23/804.html
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