The Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network and former member of the House of Representatives, Otunba Dino Melaye was on Monday in Abuja interrogated by the Nigerian Police Force over his involvement in the protest for the release of the over 200 female students of Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State tagged “#Bring Back Our Girls.”
A letter of invitation from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar with Ref. No. CR/3000/FIB/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.T/137 and dated June 20 2014, directed him to appear “to discuss crucial issues of security concern.”
The letter signed by one Steve Okoshone (Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP) for Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) reads:
“The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), Force CID Complex, Behind Federal Fire Service, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, invites you to a meeting with him on Monday 23 June, 2014 at 1200 hrs prompt to discuss crucial issues of security concern. Your response will be highly appreciated.”
As at the time of this report, nothing has been heard of Melaye, while all his Mobile phones have been switched off.
But Melaye said the struggle to liberate the masses from the clutches of political vampires is a battle of no retreat, no surrender.
He said, “We must do everything to rescue this country from the hands of these economic canker worm. There is intimidation, incessant arrests, threats and assassination attempts on my life. But for me, I am resolute because the battle to deliver this country from economic canker worms, financial vultures and inept leadership, as I have repeatedly said, is a battle of no retreat, no surrender.
“In an unjust society, silence is a crime; this is the time in the history of Nigeria where silence is no longer golden. People must come out and speak because the day you stop eating is the day you start dying. Where dictatorship becomes legalised, revolution becomes a right”.
Our correspondent hereby recalls that Melaye, went to a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Gudu, Abuja for the enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights challenging the May 9 disruption of the protest he led in respect of the abducted female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State by members of the by Boko Haram Islamic sect.
But Justice Abubakar Talba held that the Nigeria Police Force lacks the powers to prevent or stop rallies or possessions being held in respect of the abducted female students.
He declared that the Public Order Act, Cap 382 Laws of Nigeria 1990, which the Police purportedly relied on, “does not authorize men of the NPF to disrupt rallies or possession on the issue of the abducted Chibok girls.”
The judge declared as unconstitutional the arrest and assault on Melaye by men of the NPF during the May 9 rally in Abuja.
The suit marked: CV/1521/14 which has the IGP and Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Mr. Joseph Mbu, was not defended by the respondents.
Justice Talba said, “The arrest of the applicant and threat to further arrest him in respect of rallies or possession is unlawful. The disruption of peaceful rallies and procession by agents of the 1st and 2nd respondents is illegal and unconstitutional.”
The judge held that since the respondents failed to file any counter process to the one filed by Melaye was an admission of the allegations made against them by the applicant.
He consequently ordered the IGP and CP, FCT to “tender a written apology to the applicant as provided for under Section 35(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The judge also granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further “harassing, molesting, intimidating, abducting, arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant in respect of peaceful rallies or procession in Abuja or any part of Nigeria.”
Justice Talba awarded, N150,000 in damages and cost against the respondents and in favour of the applicant.
Melaye had sued the respondents shortly after he was arrested and molested by policemen during the May 9 rally in Abuja which he led to protect the Federal Government’s seeming inaction over the April 14 abduction of the Chibok girls.
In a supporting affidavit deposed to by his lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, it was stated that “men of the NPF, under the instruction of the 1st and 2nd respondents came to the venue of the rallies to arrest the applicant and forcefully beat the applicant on ground that the rallies or possession should be suspended by the applicant and his group.