HURIWA urges Akwa Ibom governor to free detained female critic

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno has been urged to release with immediate effect and end the police arbitrary arrests and illegal detention of the Governor’s critic Princess Godsown Udoito.

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA in a statement maintains that the sanctity of constructive criticism is imperative to the sustainability and advancements of constitutionalism and democracy.

HURIWA, which condemned the decision of the Akwa Ibom state police command to arraign the female activist on the charge of defamation, affirmed that it was wrong for the governor to use his privileged position as the chief security officer and chief executive officer of Akwa Ibom state to use the armed security goons: the police to arrest and charge the female activist knowing that defamation is a personal actionable offence in which case the governor could have sued the lady and then allow her the constitutionally guaranteed rights to a legal representation of her choice.

The group noted that the right to criticise government officials is legal and necessary for good governance and the respect for the due process of the law.

According to HURIWA, the governor, President or indeed all elected office holders are not sacred cows that are above the law. Every elected public office holders are exercising authority legitimately only on the mandate given to them freely by the people of Nigeria who are the rightful owners of the Sovereignty of Nigeria as specified by the Constitution in chapter 2.

The Rights group also expressed shock with the reports that masquerades are now termed criminals in Akwa Ibom, arrested and charged by the police whenever and wherever they are seen just as the Rights group said the Rights to freedom of worship guarantees the citizens the constitutionally protected freedom to practice any religion of their choice, including practicing masquerade dancers and displays lawfully and to embark on the orderly entertainment of their supporters which is also constitutionally guaranteed under the right to peaceful assembly all of which are enshrined in chapter 4 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended.

“We are urging the gentleman Governor of Akwa Ibom state and a respected Christian leader to exercise authority in such an honourable way that his good people of Akwa Ibom state are allowed unfettered access to all their constitutionally guaranteed rights, including freedom of the press and freedom of expression. If on the other hand the governor thinks that the female activist aforementioned has offended him as a person, who is also protected by the Constitution and he is aggrieved to such an extent that he claims that his reputation is damaged, he the Governor can on his own hire a lawyer of his choice and institute a suit against the woman for defamation and then allow the woman to also get her freely chosen legal representative.

“We think honestly that using the police to intimidate and arbitrarily detain the lady under very inhumane conditions, is a resort to self-help measure which we think is unlawful and dictatorial.”

HURIWA stated that her members in Akwa Ibom informed the corporate office that massive tension has continued to envelope the oil communities of Ekid ethnic nationality of Akwa Ibom State, following the arrest and prosecution of one of Governor Umo Eno’s fiercest critics, Princess God’sown Udoito, a radical land and environmental rights advocate.

Lady Udoito, it was learnt, was arrested last Wednesday on the orders of the State government and charged to Court by the Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, over alleged defamation and breach of public peace.

But the Ekid Women Wing, EWW, comprising women from Eket and Esit Eket local government areas of the state, has vowed to disrupt government and social activities with protest over what they described as “the suppression of dissenting voices under the repressive government of Pastor Umo Eno.”

They therefore declared their unanimous decision “to boycott political activities until Governor Umo Eno releases Princess God’sown Udoito from prison,” explaining that Princess Udoito was arrested for questioning the Governor’s decision to sell the Ekid ancestral land, Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, without the consent of the Ekid people.

HURIWA stated that democracy is dead if the critics of government officials are muzzled by the brute force of the Nigeria Police Force and advocated the immediate and unconditional release of the female activist from the notorious dungeons of the Nigeria Police Force in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.