TITLE: Investigation Commission to Hear Ogoni Human Rights Abuse

AUTHOR: Clarice Azuatalam and Victor Ugborgu

PUB: Newswatch

DATE: January 29, 2001

The Oputa Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, sitting in Port Harcourt will this week hear specific cases of torture, murder, burning, abduction, detention and other forms of human rights abuses against the Ogoni people. The "Ogoni week," as some writers have dubbed the five days set aside to hear the more than 8,000 petitions from Ogoniland, will feature a parade of Ogoni people of substance who are championing the cause of Ogoni people. Personalities such as Ledum Mitee, president of MOSOP, Ken Saro-Wiwa Jnr, Rose Kobari and J.B. Putnor are expected to testify before the commission. Last week when the commission commenced sitting in Port Harcourt, tales of woes and songs of sorrow filled the air when petitioners mounted the witness box. Among cases heard last week was that of victimisation and murder brought by Edward Ezewu, a former academic staff at the University of Port Harcourt. He said the authorities of the university killed his son and later suspended him from the university because of his anti-corruption crusade in the university. Ezewu told the commission that his problem started in 1997 when Theo Vincent took over as the vice-chancellor of the university. He alleged that Vincent surrounded himself with a cabal which was only interested in defrauding the institution. He specifically mentioned the case of one Professor Emmanuel Anosike whom he alleged, embezzled the university fund to the tune of N21 million. He said he later found that the fraud was in connivance with Vincent and that was why no action was taken by the university authority to bring Anosike to book. Ezewu said there were series of cases of embezzlement of university funds which prompted him to petition the late head of state, General Sani Abacha. As if that was not enough, he reported the matter to the police expecting a thorough investigation into the allegation. But he said the police force suppressed every move. Ezewu said the university administrators were angered by his crusade and vowed to silence him at all cost. He said they therefore organised the killing of his son, Obakhere who had just been offered admission into the university. He alleged that his son was murdered by two sons of one Dimkpa who were aided by a big masquerade, and "that masquerade is Theo Vincent." He alleged that "even when the news of the assassination spread like wild fire around the university community, none of the administrators and lecturers expressed any sympathy and no condolence letter or visit was organised by the university authorities." He claimed that the death of his son was not even mentioned in the senate meetings as was the tradition of the institution. He told the commission that the then registrar of the university was the most wicked and callous among "the cabal of fraudsters." He stressed that despite the closeness of their residential homes, the registrar failed to sympathise with him. This, he said, was uncalled for in spite of the misunderstanding in the university. Ezewu said he adequately reported the death to the police but since 1997 no effort was made by the police to unravel the circumstances surrounding his son's death. His problem did not end there. Ezewu said the vice-chancellor and his group later suspended him from the university system. He said the sufferings he passed through thereafter resulted in a stroke. He alleged that while in the hospital, his oppressors sent a "strange nurse" to eliminate him through the injection of a poisonous substance even when the doctor had prescribed ordinary drugs. He said his refusal to take the injection saved his life and he was promptly discharged the following day based on his own request. Under cross examination by B.M. Wife, a counsel to Vincent, Ezewu admitted that he later suspected one of his nephews as an accomplice in the murder of his son. His suspicion was heightened when it was discovered that the said nephew had a pre-knowledge of the planned murder and failed to report to him. He maintained that sons of Dimkpa were the real killers of his son, who were adequately protected by Vincent and his cohorts. Justice Oputa directed the police to re-investigate the murder of the boy and report to the commission in two weeks' time, that is, January 29. While Ezewu's case was dramatised with academic eloquence to the admiration of the audience, others were laced with emotion laden voices that evoked sympathy. Joseph Eyam, a teacher at the Community Secondary School, Ikom, in Cross River State, told the commission how his brother Samuel Eyam was murdered by one Samuel Audu, a deputy superintendent of police, DSP. He said Samuel was arrested on November 9, 1994 by the anti-robbery patrol unit of zone six, Calabar, at Ekori junction on his way to Ikom to negotiate for business. He said his brother who was a final year mass communication student at the University of Uyo, also, engaged in rubber production business to make ends meet. Eyam said the police branded him an armed robber and took Samuel to Ugep police station from where he was later transferred to Ikom and finally to Aba in Abia State. He described the Umuoba Road police station, Aba, as one of the notorious torture centres in the eastern part of the country. He said his brother was subjected to all forms of inhuman treatment and that it was in one of the cells that Samuel smuggled out a note in which he told the family his mission and the inhuman treatments the police meted out to him. According to Eyam, Samuel stated in the note that he was arrested while he was taking tea at a mallam's tea spot together with a friend of his. He also said Samuel's Datsun car with registration number CR 3838 M was impounded and the sum of N20,000 on him was also seized by the police. Eyam said it was based on the information supplied by Samuel that the family embarked on an intensive search. He explained that the family petitioned the assistant inspector-general of police in Calabar over the matter but that the police officer rebuffed them. He said they further went to court and on November 16, 1995, a Calabar high court presided over by G. Ezekwe ordered the release of the victim and awarded N200,000 as damages against the police. He told the commission that both the discharge order and the monetary compensation were ignored by the police, and that the family later learnt that Samuel had been sent to "Abuja" which figuratively meant he had been killed. The police claimed in response that the victim was an armed robber who was shot while trying to run away. The police also claimed that a torchlight, machete and pistol, some amount of money were recovered from the victim's car. The Eyam family rejected the submission of the police and vowed to see a logical conclusion of the case. Eyam prays the commission to approve the sum of N50 million as compensation to enable him look after the wife and four children left by Samuel. He also prayed that the Datsun car and the N20,000 seized by the police be returned. And most importantly, that Audu should be summoned to the commission and also prosecuted. The case was adjourned to January 31, 2001 to enable the police make a defence. Also at the commission was Eno Otu, a civil servant in the Cross River State civil service, whose son was brutally murdered by the police. He told the commission that Omini Otu, was murdered on February 2, 1998 by one Ike Eni, a police sergeant with police No. 14667 at a check point mounted by the force for illegal collection of money from motorists. He said the victim was intercepted at Ugep check-point on that fateful day and an argument ensued over how much to offer the police and in the process, he was shot at close range. He died instantly. He said that since then (1998) the police has refused to investigate the matter. This prompted Otu to petition the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Abuja. The commission was said to have later discovered that contrary to the belief of the Otu family, the real killer of Omini was one Suleiman Bello, an army lance corporal which the commission made known to the family in a letter dated November 14, 1999. The letter was tendered in evidence. In the said letter, the NHRC requested both the police and the attorney-general of Cross River State to prosecute the real culprit, Bello. Otu said the NHRC recommendation was not carried out. Otu demanded for N50 million compensation to enable him take care of the wife and three children the victim left behind. Oputa, however, directed that investigation into the case be re-opened to enable the commission know the real culprit. He decried a situation where a security outfit detailed to maintain law and order would arrogate to itself the power to eliminate lives based on mere suspicion or over minor disagreements. As the commission continues its sitting in Port Harcourt, several petitioners do not seem willing to pursue their own cases any longer. For instance, Sam Inokoba, a retired army colonel, who was the first person to appear on the dock to testify on the alleged brutal murder of his son, Tari Inokoba, by the Rivers State police command under the leadership of Musa Abdulkadir, later told the commission that he had decided to drop the case in the spirit of the on-going reconciliation. Said Inokoba: "I withdraw the petition in the spirit of reconciliation as demonstrated by Mr. President. I forgive all the policemen involved in the torture of my son. In the name of God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, I forgive all." Roxanna Spiff who petitioned the commission on the alleged murder of Alfred George, her husband, by the Rivers State police command was also absent when her case was called. Her case was later struck out for lack of representation. The detailed report on the murder of Onwu-Uzuke O.K. Boy Robinson was also not heard because Rose Robinson Iwere, the mother, did not appear to testify and there was no representation. But the commission agreed to step it down to January 30, 2001. Peter Odili, governor of Rivers State, presented a welcome address at the opening ceremony, and urged everyone to respect the human rights of one another. Odili who was represented by Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, the state's commissioner for justice, assured the commission of an enabling environment to do its job. He also expressed the hope that this would be the last assignment of members of the commission at the human rights commission, as the recommendations of the commission will help to check-mate people's actions. In his speech, Justice Oputa stressed that the commission was on a crusade to probe Nigeria's past. He said Nigeria has a bleak, bitter, sorry and gory past which was littered with the debris of innumerable gross human rights violation of the environment. He said many victims have been clamouring for justice, compensation and reparation and agreed that Nigeria cannot comfortably and confidently look towards the future without paying her debts of the past. He said the success of the commission would usher in respect for the environment and the restoration of the dignity of man in Nigeria. Oputa explained that the commission's quest for truth gave rise to the allocation of centres to the six geo-political zones of Nigeria "instead of staying in Abuja and summoning poor, deprived and indigent victims to present and prove their petitions." He explained further that the inauguration of the commission was in line with the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the world community was concerned with breaches, abuses and violations of human rights anywhere in the world. He said it was based on this that Nigeria was suspended in 1995 from the Commonwealth at the height of her human rights violations, which culminated in the trial, sentence and execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. He however, said those who were seriously injured by past human rights violations needed some form of reparation. "Without such adequate reparation and rehabilitation measures, it is extremely doubtful whether there can be any healing of the wound of the past," Oputa stressed. The commission has 36 cases to tackle in Port Harcourt. Of this number 19 are murder cases while the remaining are other forms of human rights violations. END top