From Olukayode Idowu
An Ebonyi State-based human rights activist, Anyigor Methuselah, has petitioned the acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, over alleged threat to his life by some political associates of the Chairman of Ezza North Local Government, Mrs Nora Aloh.
According to him, the threat and maltreatment was as a result of his critical position against the government of Ebonyi State on Facebook.
Methuselah in the petition by his lawyer, Sampson Ekigbo, also sent to the Department of State Security Service and the National Human Rights Commission was obtained by Journalists in Abuja.
The petitioner claimed that he was abducted by Simbad Victor Ogbuatu and Solomon Nworie aka Aliunwuezeoka, on May 22, 2020, after making ATM transactions at Afikpo Road Branch of Access Bank in Abakaliki.
He therefore called on the security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute those who beat him up and collected his phone.
The petition reads, “We have been consulted and our legal services retained by Comrade Anyigor Methuselah of Umuoghara Community, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State (hereinafter referred to as our client) in respect of the above subject matter.
“It is on his authority and full instruction that we write to bring to your knowledge about this ugly incident and solicit for your urgent intervention, by ordering for the arrest and possible prosecution of Simbad Victor Ogbuatu Solomon Nworie, Dr. Mrs. Norah Aloh and her boys.
“It is our brief, Sir: That our client Comrade Anyigor Methuselah is a good governance advocate and a social critic based in Ebonyi State, who uses his Facebook account to demand good governance by constructively analyzing the policies and programmes of the government while proffering solution to some of the identified anti- human policies.
“That our client was abducted by the above mentioned persons on May 22 2020, after making ATM transactions at Afikpo Road Branch of Access Bank Abakaliki .
“That our client was forcefully dragged inside a Sienna tinted Car by the above named bandits and cultists and coerced to lie face down on the floor of the sienna Car.
“That our client was taken to the house of one politician at Abakaliki who ordered them to deal with our client and go after other persons already penciled down for abduction.
“That the above named persons on gun point collected the sum of Sixty five thousand Naira (N65,000.00) only being the money our client went to Access Bank to withdraw upon battering him in the process.
“That the hoodlums have, in their possession, dangerous weapons ranging from long guns suspected to be AK 47, pump actions and a small gun, axes, jack knife, cutlasses and other weapons.
“That our client was forced on gun point to give them access to his Facebook account wherein he was coerced to change his profile picture to that of Dr. Mrs. Norah Aloh, the Executive Chairman of Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and another to that of the State government.
“That the boys loyal to the Executive Chairman of Ezza North told our client that they have the instructions of their boss to kill him should he fail to stop attacking her government and that of the governor.
“That one of them, Innocent Solomon Nworie, who has been parading pump action gun even on social media was the first to beat him followed by Simbad before he was tied hands back, leg tied together and tortured with irons and gun butts by the whole gang.
“That our client was unlawfully detained for days before faith and God’s sufficient grace smiled on him leading to his escape.
“That our client is consistently threatened with death since that his near to death experience for narrating his ordeal to the public.
“That our client cannot walk properly owing to the debasing and dehumanization treatment he received from the above named individuals.
“That our client’s new phone is still with them till date. In lieu of the above sir, we humbly pray for the recovery of our client’s’ phone, immediate arrest and possible prosecution of Simbad Victor Ogbuatu, Solomon Nworie aka Aliunwuezeoku and Dr. Mrs. Norah Aloh, for the law to take its cause.
