Shame On All Igbo Leaders Not Condemning Detention Of Our Women By Okorocha - IPOB

IPOB Press Release, “Shame On All Igbo Leaders Not Condemning Detention Of Our Women By Okorocha” | August 23, 2018

The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) condemn in its entirely the ongoing judicial charade and actions of the Magistrates Court sitting in Owerri under the control of Rochas Okorocha of Imo State with the backing of Aso Rock and those Igbo Efulefus whose silence so far is confirmation of their treacherous nature and ambivalence to the suffering of Biafrans in general and Igbos in particular.

We equally note with particular concern, the silence of some supposed human rights groups in Nigeria. We are aware that IPOB related cases always showcase the very worst in Nigerian judicial practice. The level of ignorance and disregard for simple rules of a properly constituted court of law presently on show in Imo State lends further credence to our assertion that a significant proportion of magistrates and judges are ignorant of the laws of Nigeria and rules governing their conduct.

By allowing the detention of mothers, wives and sisters that pose no discernible threat to the state, APC government represented by Rochas Okorocha in Imo, Igbo politicians in Abuja, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Igbo governors and countless other fronts are all in the pocket of Arewa north. They are weak, compromised and incapable of speaking out against blatant injustice against their own people. It confirms what we have always known, that they were all appointed or rigged into office to defend the interest of their northern Fulani masters against the collective will of the Biafran people.

Anybody in doubt as to the impotency and subservience of the Igbo political class, should look no further than the treatment of our mothers in Owerri prisons. Imo State is supposedly run by a man bearing an Igbo name, the magistrate that remanded our mothers is Igbo, the prison is run by Igbo men but they still refused to give our mothers food or allow those still nursing to breastfeed their babies.

The complete and total humiliation of the Igbo race is what we are witnessing today because even laws enacted and passed to defend the people can no longer be relied upon to save the innocent. Practicing and studying law in Nigeria is an utter and complete waste of time. It is either Nigeria and those charged with her law enforcing and judicial interpretation are not civilized enough to practice English Common Law or the essence of principle of separation of powers is completely lost on them.

What Owerri Magistrate Court displayed today and last week by remanding innocent mothers in prison is the height of judicial impunity, executive overreach and abuse of power by collaborators, both in Imo State and Abuja. Justice is no longer based on the merits of a case but on the wish of a governor or Aso Rock cabal.

The level of ignorance of the law prevalent in the Nigerian judiciary is a far greater threat to democracy than gun wielding Fulani terrorists. By allowing themselves to be used to remand our mothers in prison today and last Friday, without any legal backing, is tantamount to political suicide and judicial illegality.

A first year law student knows that a ‘Holden Charge’ is illegal because the Supreme Court of Nigeria have so declared in their ruling. Why therefore is the APC government at federal and state levels using this process, that has been declared illegal, to detain Biafrans? Rochas Okorocha, his APC Party in Imo State and the prosecutor handling the case have all broken the law by allowing the presiding magistrate to declare lack of jurisdiction as a way of delaying the case, while at the same time ordering the detention of innocent mothers. This is the exact same thing Supreme Court ruling said should not happen.

It is baffling that an overwhelming number of human rights groups in Nigeria cannot speak out against this blatant injustice because those being persecuted are Biafran women. The hatred and bias against Biafra is as much as that experienced by Jews in Europe in the days of Adolf Hitler.

Mr. Clement Nwankwo Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC), Chief Innocent Chukwuma of CLEEN Foundation, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu former Chairman National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Sam Amadi Former Chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, Barr. Uche Wisdom Durueke President Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Okechukwuma Nwanguma Coordinator Network on Peace Reforms (NPR), Dr. Joe Otteh, Dr. Jude Ohanele, Chido Onuma, Barr. Chinenye Edmund Obiagwu Director Legal Defense and Assistance Project (LDA), Barr. Eze Onyekpere Director of Center for Social Justice. Dr. Uju Agomuoh ED PRAWA Enugu, Chilos Godsent, President Igbo National Council (INC) have all refused to talk because money and serving Fulani interest is more lucrative than standing up for the truth. They are compromised and will never speak against injustice despite being in charge of NGOs that claim to be fighting for human rights.

Nigeria is perhaps the only country where a Magistrate can overrule a Supreme Court judgement. Of what use is the Supreme Court if it’s pronouncements is not binding on a lower court. But they call themselves learned men and women. Sometimes one is tempted to ask, would it not be better for Europe to come back and recolonise Africa because rather than making progress, they are regressing with the passage of each day.
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COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL MEDIA AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.