Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana has cried out over the continued detention of citizens in a Navy vessel and a detain facility in Lagos for between 8 months to two years.
The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) equally alleged that the detainees have gone on hunger strike since Monday to protest the failure of Navy authorities to release them even after a court has ordered their freedom.
“The 57 people being detained illegally by the Nigerian Navy at NNS Beecroft detention facility at Apapa, Lagos commenced a hunger strike on Monday, September 9, 2019,” he said.
“They are protesting their detention without trial for periods ranging from 8 months to over 2 years.
“The federal high court has nullified the detention of some of the detainees while others have been granted bail. But the Nigerian Navy has treated the court orders with contempt.
“In spite of its official policy to respect the human rights of the Nigerian people, the Buhari administration has failed to call the detaining authorities to order.”
He lamented a situation whereby political leaders at all levels celebrated 100 days in office this while scores of citizens were languishing in police and military facilities.
He said, the Nigerian Navy has continued to detain over 150 citizens for several months without trial for undisclosed criminal offences. While some of the detainees have recently been released not less than 57 others are still held incommunicado in Lagos.
Specifically, 10 of the detainees are held inside a vessel in Lagos while 57 others are detained in the NNS Beecroft Cell, Apapa, Lagos. Some of the names of the detainees are:
- Michael Ovie
- Simon Onyisike Mike
- Umoren Daniel
- James Archibong
- Graham Brown
- Ifeanyi Osadinizu
- Matthew Epiagolo
- Taiwo Ayodele
- Sunday Ojo
- Austin Omonisa
- Timothy Ajayi
- Adeleke Adewale
- Onoja Reuben
- Pius Paul
- Peter Pulle
- Ogunmoyero Oluwaseun
- Innocent Sunday
- Lejoro Friday
- Hamza Yakubu
- Segun Yusuf
- Adebayo Mayoma
- Godswill Umoh
- Edu Fidelis
- Richard David
- Daniel Harrison
- Asaiki Okeoghene
- Omogoye Bolaji
- Victor Uchendu
- Oloyede Ademola
- Emomotimi F. Watchman
- Ganabel Sixtus
- Olajide Enigbewo
- Kehinde Labinjo
- Godswill Akpoviri Ebbahi
Falana stated that at the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) which held in Lagos last month, President Muhammadu Buhari restated the commitment of his administration to operate under the rule of law.
He said, based on such commitment the federal government should comply with all court orders and direct the Nigerian Navy, police and other security agencies to grant bail to criminal suspects or arraign them in courts.
