Falana writes Buhari, seeks release of 40 Nigerians from ‘illegal custody’ of navy

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has urged President Muhammadu
Buhari to order the release of 40 Nigerians who have been in
“illegal custody” of the Nigerian navy.

In a letter on Sunday, the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said
the individuals had been arrested and imprisoned without being
arraigned in court.

Recall how the detainees including Dada Labinjo, a navy captain,
and Sherifat Ibe Lambert (also known as Mrs Bola Labinjo), a lt.
commander, have been in detention since September 2018 for an
undisclosed offence.

Falana had earlier called on Abubakar Malami, attorney-general
of the federation (AGF), to take action against the naval
authorities over the “violations of the fundamental rights of the
detainees”.

He said the naval authorities had obtained a remand warrant from
a magistrate’s court in Apapa, Lagos, but after three months of
incarceration without any criminal charges filed against the
detainees, the court reviewed their case on January 7, 2019, and
ordered that they should be released immediately.

In his letter, the lawyer said the “unlawful detention”
contravened sections of the 1999 constitution and the African
Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Ratification and
Enforcement.

“We have received complaints from the family members of 40
Nigerian citizens who are being detained without trial on the
orders of the Authorities of the Nigerian Navy,” the letter
read.

“It may interest Your Excellency to know that the detainees have
been held incommunicado in dehumanising conditions for periods
ranging from six to eight months.

“In fact, some of the detainees are incarcerated in an
underground military detention facility in Abuja while others are
held inside one of the vessels impounded by the Nigerian Navy in
Marina, Lagos.

“The detainees have been subjected to mental, psychological and
physical torture contrary to the provisions of the Anti Torture
Act, 2017.

“Furthermore, in utter contempt of court the authorities of the
Nigerian Navy have defied valid and subsisting orders of competent
courts for the unconditional release of some of the detainees.

“Apart from such contemptuous conduct the Nigerian Navy recently
denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the 15 detainees held in a
detention facility in Abuja.

“As soon as we pointed out that the remand order procured by the
Nigerian Navy for the detention of the 15 detainees had been
quashed by the Chief Magistrate Court in Apapa, Lagos State the
Naval Authorities turned round to file criminal charges against 5
of them before a Court Martial.

“Since all the detainees are entitled to their fundamental
rights to dignity and liberty guaranteed by sections 34 and 35 of
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as
amended and articles 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and
Peoples Rights Ratification and Enforcement Act (Cap A9) Laws of
the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, we urge Your Excellency to direct
the Chief Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, to either
release the detainees from unlawful custody or arraign them in
court without any further delay.

“In view of the fact that the illegal detention of the 40
Nigerian citizens for several months without trial has exposed the
Federal Government to unwarranted embarrassment the Chief of Naval
Staff ought to be sanctioned by Your Excellency.”

Below is a list of all the detainees:

• Captain Dada Labinjo,
• Lt. Commander Sherifat Ibe Lambert
• Benjamin Gold
• Peter Pulle,
• Pius Paul,
• Onoja Reuben,
• Adeleke Adewale,
• Labinjo Kehinde,
• Ogunmoyero Oluwasehun,
• Emmanuel Oputa,
• Innocent Sunday,
• Iejoro Friday,
• Hamza Yakubu,
• Segun Yusuf.
• Master-Melvin Jack ;
• Chief Mate-Adebayo Mayoma
• Chief Mate- Francis Oneyema
• 2nd Eng-Godwill Umoh
• Bosin-Miebaka Iyala
• Elect 2-Edu Fidelis
• Elect 2-Richard David
• Camp Boss-Daniel Harrison
• Asaiki Okeoghene
• AB 1-Omogoye Bolaji
• AB 2-Victor Uchendu
• AB 3-Oloyede Ademola
• Oiler-Simon Onyisi Mike
• Eng cadet-Udom Victor Jerome
• Godwin Etiaka Ojodusi      
   
• Sixtus Ganabel        
                   
• Owei Ukuto           
                   
   
• Jeremiah Victor        
                   
• Collins Joel          
       
• Augustine Omonisa        
             
• MV Akemijo Deborah        
   
• Mike Simeon
• Umoren Daniel
• James Archibong
• Umon Godswill Emmanuel
• MT Adeline Jumbo

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