Group of Human Rights Lawyers led by Barrister Napoleon Otache have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission, the Presidency, the National Assembly and other numerous agencies over the indefinite detention of a 43 years old Benue man, Bernard Ogbu since 2019.
Ogbu who hails from Igumale in Ado Local Government Area of BENUE State has been languishing in the custody of the policemen of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, for over three years without trial or bail.
It was reported that the operatives of the defunct SARS led by one ASP Felix Onoja, stormed Bernard Ogbu’s residence in the New Nyanya area of Nasarawa State on March 3, 2019, arrested and took him to the SARS detention facility in Abuja where his family members visited the following day to inquire the reason for his arrest.
Ogbu’s younger sister, Mrs Comfort Ogbu, was reported to have said that while she was speaking to her 43-year-old brother at the SARS’ detention facility, the detainee cried over the alleged torture meted on him by the SARS operatives.
After the first visit by the family members to the SARS facility where Ogbu was detained, Police have allegedly refused the family access to their brother and nothing has been heard about him since then till date, a situation that has led to untimely death of the wife leaving behind two little children.
She said, “We have not been allowed to see him since March 4, 2019. Whenever we visited the SARS’ detention facility to ask for him, the policemen usually chased us away.
“When the SARS was disbanded due to the nationwide protest, we made several attempts to see my brother but to no avail. His wife died last year of depression caused by Bernard Ogbu’s continued detention. She left four young children behind.”
In the petition dated 25th August, 2022 written by Barrister Otache, It was stated that “In the midnight of March 3, 2019, the operatives of the defunct SARS led by ASP Felix Onoja, broke into the Bernard Ogbu’s house at New Nyanya, Nasarawa State, and arrested him.
“His plasma television set, home theatre electronics, set of chairs, boxes, clothes, Opel Astra car and other personal property were also taken away by the policemen.
The petition further stated that “The following day, Ogbu’s sister visited the detention facility of the defunct SARS and she was referred to meet with ASP FELIX Onoja at the abattoir, Guzape, SARS’ detention centre, Abuja.
“She was only able to exchange greetings with her brother through the keyhole of the detention cell. Bernard Ogbu cried out and pleaded with his sister to look for money to secure his release because he was going through unbearable torture in detention.”
In the petition, Otache quoted Comfort Ogbu when she asked ASP FELIX Onoja the reason for her brother’s arrest, all he could say was that Ogbu committed an offence and demanded N5m from her to secure his release.
Otache called on the Presidency, Human Rights Commission, Governor Samuel Ortom, Senator Abba Moro, Honourable Francis Otta and other agencies of government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the rescue of Ogbu from further incarceration of Bernard Ogbu.
