Jonah Okah's Arrest And Detention, Another Classical Case Of Dickson's Aversion To Critics

Governor Henry Seriake Dickson will go down in history as Bayelsa's most intolerable governor, one averse to criticism and acting tyrannical when faced or confronted with his administration's actus-reus.okah

When some unemployed graduates requested he considers lifting the embargo on employment so they could be gainfully employed a few years ago, they were rewarded with incarceration, charged with unlawful assemblage, and intent to cause a breach of public peace. These poor fellows were compelled to be appearing in court, even when it was obvious they had empty pockets and thus paying transport fares for such vain expedition was a herculean task. It took the outcry of the public, coming with waves of condemnation over Dickson's insensitivity to their plight, before the trumped up charges against the promising youths were dropped.

Sir Tonye Okio, a very fierce critic of the Dickson's administration and a Sylva loyalist, was picked up from his Abuja residence in a commando-like style, dragged down to Yenagoa like a common criminal and hauled into detention, and subsequently spent 86 tortuous days unjustly at the Okaka prison. His offence? A comment against Dickson on facebook.

Melford Duamunabo Esinte, a Sylva loyalist also suffered the same fate, sharing prison cell with Tonye Okio over a Facebook comment Dickson thought uncharitable to his person.
Eng. Fakuma Illagha was also shown the four walls of the prison cell, himself a Sylva loyalist.

On Wednesday 30th, August 2016, Barr Jonah Okah was arrested on the order of the Bayelsa state governor, in what could at most be a case of libel, a bailable offence and he remained in detention for that day on the grounds that the state police commissioner was out of town and thus cannot be granted bail until the CP returns to endorse his bail.

By Thursday morning 1st September, 2016, he was hurriedly arraigned before a magistrate court, and charged with criminal libel and intent to breach public peace, a charge he pleaded not guilty to. But to show the governor's culpability in the judicial persecution, an action I find asinine, the prosecuting counsel objected to the bail application of Jonah's counsel, on what ground for a bailable offense? Then as Dickson's obnoxious trademark is, using the state's judiciary against his critics, the very judiciary he desecrated by leading thugs to sack a court in session, the magistrate, Pere Bossa, adjourned to 20th September when the bail application would be considered and ordered him remanded in prison. There, Dickson's objective has been well served, another critic has been thrown behind bars, this was clearly captured by the comment of Francis Agbo, Dickson's media aide, who couldn't contain his joy over Jonah's arrest and detention, his response as expressed on his facebook page was, "good riddance to bad rubbish"

Jonah Okah without mincing words, has been a thorn on Dickson's flesh like the constant northern star, never failing to lend his voice to the harmony of voices speaking out against the governor's anti-people's policies and malfeasance in governance. He was such a problem to the governor, that the governor's social media team had a couple of times, hacked into his facebook account to post contents that had embarrassed Barr. Okah, including pornograhic materials. The phone conversation allegedly created by Barr Okah could as well be a ploy hatched by Dickson and his men to get Jonah off Dickson's back?
Besides, one wonders why saharareporters.com and leadership newspapers who broke the story have not been dealt same blow as that which Dickson has landed on Jonah.

To think that Dickson and his men have lavishly assassinated the character of Chief Timipre Sylva, without Sylva ever raising a finger against such persons, tells a lot about the level of maturity of both personalities.
I demand the unconditional release of Barr. Jonah Okah.

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