Keyamo writes IGP over detention of National Waves editors

According to human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo who has sent a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleman Abba over the continued detention, “all attempts to ensure that they are arraigned in court met brick walls.” The duo have been in detention since December 16, 2014.As detailed in the petition dated December 18, 2014 […]

According to human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo who has sent a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleman Abba over the continued detention, “all attempts to ensure that they are arraigned in court met brick walls.” The duo have been in detention since December 16, 2014.
As detailed in the petition dated December 18, 2014 and signed on behalf of Festus Keyamo Chambers by Festus Ukpe, Esq and Benedicta Obanye, “sometime in August 2014, Jimmy Enyeh, the publisher of the National Waves magazine as part of his journalistic duties uncovered alleged suspicious dealings regarding a contract of N650 million awarded to A.A. Oil Company Limited and in pursuant to National Waves magazine’s policy of fair and honest reportage sought for his (Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, Chairman of A.A. Oil’s) side of the story through a letter dated 01/09/2014, titled “Request for reaction on collection of N650 million for unexecuted contract.”
Enyeh, in his letter to Alhaji Abubakar told him he was in possession of documents to the effect that A. A. Oil collected N650 million from a state government in three instalments to do a contract but the company, Enyeh alleged, had not executed the contract so far. The publisher, therefore, appealed to Abubakar to avail him his (Abubakar’s) response to enable the magazine “have a balanced story before going to press.”     
Keyamo wrote the IGP that, “Despite the foregoing letter, neither the Alhaji Aliyu Abubabar nor any representative of his company communicated their version of the story. The story was consequently published on September 22, 2014. As soon as the story was published, the publisher started receiving strange threatening phone calls about the story to the effect that the apparatus of the state, including the law enforcement agencies, will be used to punish him for publishing such the story.
“In furtherance of their objective of arresting and detaining the publisher of National Waves magazine, these police officers on the instruction of the complainant, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar served a letter of invitation while Mr Enyeh was out of town preparing for the National Waves anniversary event. On getting aware of the invitation, he informed his lawyer and suggested a rescheduled meeting. The officers refused to heed that suggestion and promised to get him at all cost since he knew where he was.
“Based on this development, Enyeh instituted an action at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory challenging the interference of the IGP Special Task Force on Terrorism and Heinous Crime in an issue perceived to be civil in nature.
The complainant, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar also filed a civil suit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory seeking various reliefs against the National Waves magazine and Jimmy Enyeh on alleged defamatory publications.
“The crux of this petition is that despite the foregoing facts and the pendency of the different suits before courts of competent jurisdiction, the IGP Special Task Force on December 16, 2014 arrested Emmanuel Fateman and Joseph Jolayemi, who are members of staff of National Waves magazine and who have since been in detention.”
Keyamo appealed to the IGP to “call the head of the Special Task Force to order as the parties have clearly shown their desire to resolve the dispute in our civil courts.” He also urged the police chief to direct a release of the detained NATIONAL WAVES employees, as, according to him, “they are strangers in the entire transaction.”