Renowned Professor of Education and staunch member of the PDP, Professor Patrick Muoboghare, has called on the Nigerian Army to either release Professor Arthur Ekpekpo or charge him to court.
Prof. Muoboghare gave this demand in a press statement he personally signed, stressing that it is unlawful to arrest a high profile academician such as Ekpekpo and confined him in an undisclosed location without charging him to court.
Recall that men in military uniforms, on Sunday night of August 20, 2024, arrested the President General of Ewu Kingdom, Prof Arthur Ekpekpo, and two other leaders of the Okuama community, in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
His arrest followed the killing of soldiers, numbering 17, who were on a peace mission to the Okuama community on March 14, 2024.
Ekpekpo was among those declared wanted by the military authorities on the heels of the crisis.
Following the killing, the military invaded the community, forcing residents to flee to neighbouring communities and creeks.
Ekpekpo was subsequently declared wanted over the killing of the soldiers, but was nabbed at an undisclosed location in Sapele on August 20, 2024, while his present whereabouts remained unknown.
Prof. Muoboghare on his part, described the arrest and subsequent detention in an undisclosed location as unlawful and violation of Prof. Ekpekpo fundamental human rights. He noted that the army ought to have charge him to court for the court to convict him if he is found guilty, arguing that the fundamental human rights of Prof. Ekpekpo is been infringed upon and needed to be respected and treated as a Nigerian.
“If the military are sincere, they ought to laid bear the results of their investigations or findings to the public.
“We were told that the military were on a peace mission to Okuoma following a land dispute crisis, but if i am to ask a salient question here, why was the community chairman, the President General of Ewu kingdom and the Ughelli South Divisional Police Officer DPO were not informed, so the army should do the needful if we are still in democratic era in Nigeria”.
Just as Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo was arrested, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Dennis Akugbaye and others were similarly arrested on Monday morning by armed men in plain clothes at various locations in Ughelli. Fortunately it is been alleged that their whereabout is yet to be made known, before the army went on a second phase invasion of the Okuoma community.