A rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has called on Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to release over 40 native doctors detained in the state.
The native doctors were arrested after the signing of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law about two months ago on allegations of preparing protective charms for criminals and engaging in money rituals, which has aided insecurity in the state.
But Intersociety in a statement signed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the group, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, and other members said those being held were merely traditional worshipers, and that their continued detention amounted to intolerance for other religions.
The group said: “The traditional worshippers being held in Anambra State have no case to answer in law. Governor Charles Soludo and his government, having failed a litmus test of being responsible, human rights and freedom of religion has lost legal and moral grounds to continue to detain without investigation.
“The over 40 detained traditional worshippers held illegally in an illegal detention facility (state militias’ Lion House in Awka) for more than 60 days should be released.
“The above clearly exceeded the constitutionally prescribed 24-48hrs or maximum of 60 days if arrested by the police or secret service and detained in any of their custodies for offenses bordering on capital punishments, especially when such detention is for purpose of continuation and conclusion of criminal investigations.
“Governors in Nigeria, including Governor Soludo of Anambra State, are constitutionally and statutorily barred from detaining citizens in their militias’ custodies through Remand Orders or Holden Charge.
“Following the failure of the Soludo-led government to ensure due process and rule of law in the instant case, and having controversially labeled, lampooned, ridiculed, humiliated and degraded them by publicly portraying them as those involved in fetish and demonic religious practices and violent crimes, the over 40 native doctors have no case to answer.”
The group named some of the native doctors in detention to include Chigozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuko tiwara aki; Abuchi Ikechukwu Okafor, Chijindu Nwaeze, Onyeka Onyeji (Vice President of the Umuoji Improvement Union), Onyeze Jesus, Ekene Igboekweze, popularly known as Eke-Hit, among others.
The group further raised the alarm on the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the Southeast, calling on the governors of Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra and Imo States to sit up, or they will mount advocacies through their international counterparts for visa ban and international isolation against them and their families.
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