Open Letter: Human Rights Violation In Imo State

Kenneth Uwadi

National Human Rights Commission,

Zonal Headquarters,

No 3, Ezeagu Street, New Haven,

Enugu

Nigeria

11/6/14

Dear Sir,
Human Rights Violation In Imo State
My Name is Kenneth Uwadi. I am the coordinator of a youth group in Nigeria, Youths Against Human Rights Violation and Corrupt Practices (YAHVCP). I am a blogger, a Newspaper columnist as well as an Accountant  in Nigeria. I am from Mmahu-Egbema in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. I am an anti corruption crusader. I use my blog (FAMOUS NAIJA), my political columns in newspapers and my youth group to speak against corruption and human rights violation in my state (Imo) and in Nigeria. I have been doing so since year 2003. Please Google the name KENNETH UWADI for verifications.

In the recent past, human rights violations and abuses have held our people down, devaluing our cherished values and constituting blight on our diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. Thankfully, with the restoration of democratic governance in Nigeria, there are conscious efforts by government in Nigeria to ensure respect for human rights, protection and fulfillment of human rights.

I wish to bring to your notice the  human rights violations currently taking place  in Imo State. This is worrisome. The government of Imo State has thrown a popular Imo State anti corruption activist Citizen Samuelson Iwuoha and members of his family including his wife in jail without trail since 3/6/14. Samuelson Iwuoha is the facilitator of SLAP initiative. He is being held by the Imo State police command Owerri under the instructions of the Imo State government.

Iwuoha was arrested on June 3, 2014 after  gun men made attempt at his life. A band of hoodlums have reportedly gone on a rampage at his residence to silence him or intimidate him out for not shifting from his position in making Nigerians, and Imo State residents in particular, to realize that corruption has run rampart in Imo, and in the process, they killed an innocent bystander to send the message loud and clear to Mr. Samuelson that some “other thing” is imminent. When the gunmen opened fire people scampered to safety and some persons ran into his apartment. The person murdered was not murdered in Samuelson’s apartment.

The police in collaboration with the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly are plotting  to charge Iwuoha for murder  and cultism so as to silence him. His only crime is that he was opening politician’s corruption deals and telling them to stop stealing Imo people’s money. How can an assassination attempt be turned to murder/cultism charge against the victim? Why is  the police eager to pin something on Iwuoha.  Iwuoha has no criminal history. Last month  he cried  out that his life was in danger and that  the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly   and  some aides to the speaker  threatened to kill him. The police never investigated his cry of threats to his life. Samuelson is not a cultist neither is he a murderer and the police know this. He is being framed.

I have also been reliably informed that the government of Imo State is also looking for what to frame me with so as to come after me. It  is  part of the despotic measures of corrupt politicians in Imo State  aimed at suppressing activists right to protest and resist their  mindless looting of the state and their anti-poor  policies. This characteristic despotism of the Imo State  government, which further confirms its lack of commitment to genuine democratic culture, is a throwback to the era of military absolutism with its associated abuse of the fundamental rights of people to freedom of expression, among others. The Imo State government has become so panic and grown goose pimples over the inevitable mass backlash against its mindless looting of the Imo treasury. This is why, besides the unjust arrest and unlawful detention of anti corruption activists in the State, they  have resorted to tagging them as cultists and murderers so as to jail and silence them.
WHY ARE THEY AFTER KENNETH UWADI?  They are after me because i asked them to tell Imo people what happened to N26.27billion naira left behind by former Governor Ikedi Ohakim. I asked them why they borrow n45billion naira and n28billion naira loans from banks with Imo LGA allocations as collateral for three years and the money squandered. I told them to stop looting Imo state dry. I asked why the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly who looted 3 billion naira Imo State tax payers money and used the money to build eye popping mansions all over is still in government. I asked them why Jude Ejiogu the Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor who looted 1 billion naira Imo LGA pension funds is honoured with appointments upon appointments. I told them that Ejiogu also looted tax monies paid by banks in the State. I asked them why they legalize abortion in Imo state.

They are after me because i asked them why they sacked 10,000 legally employed Imo civil servants since 2011 and have refused to reinstate them. They have turned around  to claim they have employed 22,000 civil servants. What kind of voodoo employment is that? The only sign of youth employment in Imo State is the blaring of siren by the governor's children, his maids, his in-laws and few hangers on who feed fat on the allocation of Imo State.

They are after me because i asked them why they have refused to pay the 18,000 naira minimum wage to Imo civil servants. They are after me because I asked why for 3 years of the Okorocha’s government democracy does not exist in the 27 local government councils of Imo state as provided for in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria whereas neighbouring states have elected men and women in their councils. The result is a comatose Imo LGA's begging to be attended to. Lack of basic amenities has made these LGA's a ghost environment. What is my crime?

How can a man ( Governor Okorocha)  who was elected democratically but has been operating the LGA’s  in Imo state with Sole Administrators ask Imo people to re-elect him when he has deprived the same Imo people democracy in their LGA's. What moral right has he  to ask Imo people to re-elect him when he has stopped them from electing their own LGA officials and  when the same Imo people are seeing him using Imo LGA monies to fund his private concerns and award inflated contracts to his companies and cronies. He has told Imo people that they have no right to elect their leaders in the LGA's. He is saying 'Imo people shut up'. I am speaking out and they want to jail me. They want to put me out at all cost ,inviting me to probe panel upon probe panel, using police to harass me, branding me thief, blackmailer, criminal etc.

How can i keep quite when Governor Okorocha is looting the 13 percent oil derivation funds of Imo oil producing areas in Imo State. ISOPADEC, the commission charged with development of Imo oil areas is in comatose. Schools, water, electrification, roads and hospital rehabilitation in Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta which form part of the duties of ISOPADEC remain in their same dilapidated state. My local government (Ohaji/Egbema) that produces the oil in Imo State is without light since Okorocha came into power. There is also the N400 million naira Imo flood victims relief fund given to Imo State by the Federal Government which developed wings. No amount of threat, victimization, harassment, financial inducement can silence me.

I am calling on you   to investigate this matter and condemn the unlawful arrest and detention of Activist Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha and demand for his immediate release. I am also calling on you to call on the Imo State government to stop all victimizations of activists in Imo State

Kenneth Uwadi
+2348037982714
kennethuwadi@gmail.com

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