More protests have continued to greet the continued incarceration of the chairman of the Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, who has been in the detention cell of the Department of State Services (DSS) since May 6. Some of the protesting groups insist that the refusal of the DSS to release Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, even at the instance of competent court is a threat to the country’s nascent democracy and a breach of the fundamental human right as enshrined in the constitution of the federation of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
The groups were of the opinion that since what the capital oil boss is being accused of is a bailable offence, the body should release him and give room for negotiation, or rather charge him to court.
One of the groups under the aegis of Nnewi Sports Club, which protested the detention of Ifeanyi Ubah on Friday at Nnewi, tasked the DSS to do the needful and release Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah as ordered by the Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Idris.
The group led by the duo of Engr. Nwabueze Udezue and Mr. Anthony Nduka, president and secretary of the group respectively, carried placards and marched from the sports club hall located at Umudim-Nkwa, Nnewi, and moved down to the Nnewi Police Area Command, the Central Police Station, Nnewi; the Otolo Police Station, then, down to the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, HRH, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III; singing freedom songs; urging the federal government to call the officers of the DSS to order as regards Ubah’s case and urging men and women of goodwill and concerned stakeholders within Nnewi and beyond to speak out as regards Ifeanyi Ubah’s case.
Some of the inscriptions in the placards read: “Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah deserves fair hearing, let DSS obey court order and release him; Is there no more justice and fair play in Nigeria?, Ifeanyi Ubah deserves justice, let the rule of law prevail; DSS, release Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah as ordered by the court”, among many other inscriptions.
In a press release issued at the end the solidarity protest and made available to newsmen, the members of Nnewi Sports Club, in strong terms, condemned the continued detention of Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, by DSS, and called on the organization to release him unconditionally.
The release read in part: “We, by this press release, appeal to the federal government to consider the fate of the numerous workers employed by this privately-owned company in Nigeria and release the detained oil magnet or charge him to court, as the case demand.
“We, as a body, are aware that the contributions of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to economic growth and employment generation in Nigeria is a great relief to the federal government; thus, the dire need to save thousands of workers under his employment.
“Our fear is that the continued detention of CEO of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, without trial, will not only lead to the sack of over 5,000 workers directly and indirectly engaged by his companies but will also send frightening signals to investors in Nigeria. We believe that no serious foreign investor will like to invest in a country with history of detention without trial”, it said.
The release jointly signed by the president of the group, Nwabueze Udezue and its secretary, Anthony Nduka, also called on the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to intervene in this matter to halt the impending massive job loss in Ifeanyi Ubah’s companies. The group also requested for unconditional release of Dr. Ubah in the face of intimidation and adjudged illegal detention by the DSS, which, according to the group, is against the norms of democracy and the ethics of the law.
“We condemn a situation where people are detained and refused bail, even at the instance of a recognized court of competent jurisdiction. The refusal of DSS to respect court order is unconstitutional and picks holes at the very foundation of our legal system”, the statement added.
The groups were of the opinion that since what the capital oil boss is being accused of is a bailable offence, the body should release him and give room for negotiation, or rather charge him to court.
One of the groups under the aegis of Nnewi Sports Club, which protested the detention of Ifeanyi Ubah on Friday at Nnewi, tasked the DSS to do the needful and release Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah as ordered by the Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Idris.
The group led by the duo of Engr. Nwabueze Udezue and Mr. Anthony Nduka, president and secretary of the group respectively, carried placards and marched from the sports club hall located at Umudim-Nkwa, Nnewi, and moved down to the Nnewi Police Area Command, the Central Police Station, Nnewi; the Otolo Police Station, then, down to the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, HRH, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III; singing freedom songs; urging the federal government to call the officers of the DSS to order as regards Ubah’s case and urging men and women of goodwill and concerned stakeholders within Nnewi and beyond to speak out as regards Ifeanyi Ubah’s case.
Some of the inscriptions in the placards read: “Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah deserves fair hearing, let DSS obey court order and release him; Is there no more justice and fair play in Nigeria?, Ifeanyi Ubah deserves justice, let the rule of law prevail; DSS, release Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah as ordered by the court”, among many other inscriptions.
In a press release issued at the end the solidarity protest and made available to newsmen, the members of Nnewi Sports Club, in strong terms, condemned the continued detention of Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, by DSS, and called on the organization to release him unconditionally.
The release read in part: “We, by this press release, appeal to the federal government to consider the fate of the numerous workers employed by this privately-owned company in Nigeria and release the detained oil magnet or charge him to court, as the case demand.
“We, as a body, are aware that the contributions of Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to economic growth and employment generation in Nigeria is a great relief to the federal government; thus, the dire need to save thousands of workers under his employment.
“Our fear is that the continued detention of CEO of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, without trial, will not only lead to the sack of over 5,000 workers directly and indirectly engaged by his companies but will also send frightening signals to investors in Nigeria. We believe that no serious foreign investor will like to invest in a country with history of detention without trial”, it said.
The release jointly signed by the president of the group, Nwabueze Udezue and its secretary, Anthony Nduka, also called on the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to intervene in this matter to halt the impending massive job loss in Ifeanyi Ubah’s companies. The group also requested for unconditional release of Dr. Ubah in the face of intimidation and adjudged illegal detention by the DSS, which, according to the group, is against the norms of democracy and the ethics of the law.
“We condemn a situation where people are detained and refused bail, even at the instance of a recognized court of competent jurisdiction. The refusal of DSS to respect court order is unconstitutional and picks holes at the very foundation of our legal system”, the statement added.