SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, (THEWILL) – A youth group from the Niger Delta, the Ijaw Youth Council, has accused the country’s secret police of arbitrarily arresting and detaining “several” youths from the area.
The group made this known following the arraignment of a 50-year-old journalist from the area, Jones Abiri, who had been held for more than two years by the Department of State Security (DSS) and was accused of militancy.
“The IYC wishes to alert the world that apart from Mr. Jones Abiri, there are several other Niger Delta youths who were arrested in connection with the Niger Delta Avengers inspired hostilities in the Niger Delta region and who are in the detention of the DSS without charging them to court,” Eric Omare, a factional leader of the youth group said in a statement.
“At the time of issuing this statement, Niger Delta youths such as Mr. Alex Odogu (Spokesman, IYC, Abuja Chapter), Mr. Census Oluba, Mr. Germachy Oboko, John Fortune, Michael John, Gabriel Ogbu, Justice Golubus, Joshua Golubus, Felix Mieminye and several others are still in detention.
“In some of the cases like that of Mr. Census Oluba, courts of competent jurisdictions both in Delta State and Abuja have ordered for his release but the DSS refused to obey the orders of court.
“From the account of one of the boys released about two months ago, there are several others who are still in detention.”
The group demanded that the detained youths be released immediately or charged to court if the government has any case against them.
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