Fiery human rights activist, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo has warned that unless the Nigeria Police release his client, one Mathais Ezeaku from detention, he would be forced to levy a lawsuit against the anti-crime agency.

In a petition made available to CITY LAWYER and addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, the activist stated that his client’s worship centre was attacked, a worshipper was shot while he was whisked away to Abuja for allegedly criticizing popular Catholic priest, Father Ejike Mbaka.

According to the petition, “without inviting Evang Chuwkuebuka Anozie Obi, the spiritual director of Zion Ministry into the matter he fired at him, asking him to stop attacking Rev. Father Mbaka who he claims is his spiritual father and that if he attacks Rev. Father Mbaka again he will deal with him ruthlessly.”

Omirhobo stated that Ezeaku “was arrested like a common criminal without a warrant of arrest and/or court order and paraded in his neigbourhood before he was taken from Onitsha to SARS Headquarters Akwuzu in Anambra State from there to Asaba and flown to Abuja where he was detained until Tuesday evening when he was granted administrative bail and was asked to report on Wednesday, 22/11/2023 the next day for further interrogation and interview with you.”

The full text of the petition is below.

MALCOLM OMIRHOBO & CO.
No. 121, Okota Road, Isolo, P.O. Box 7215, Ikeja, Lagos.
Tel: 0803-307-2453.
omirhobo@yahoo.com

24th November, 2023.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police,
Force Criminal Investigation Department,
Area 10,
Garki,
Abuja.

Dear Sir,

RE: THE FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF MR. MATHIAS EZEAKU BY THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE

We are a firm of solicitors acting for Mr. Mathais Ezeaku hereinafter referred to as our Client upon whose instruction we write you this letter.

Our Client informed us and we verily believe him as follows:

1. That he is the founder of a charity organization called Igbo Love themselves Charity Foundation via which he operates a Traditional Worship Center in Amaofor, Opposite New Tyre Nkpor, Onitsha Anambra State where he propagates African Religion, Tradition, History and Culture to his Igbo folks, Nigerians and Africans at large.

2. That in line with his teachings, he has been critical of the ignorance of many Nigerians who believe that the Olive Oil and Holy Water given to them by their Spiritual Leaders can cure their illness instead of seeking proper medical attention from the hospital. A good example is the case of Chinedu Nwadike, a popular gospel Nigerian singer who was diagnosed of leukemia some time in June 2022 and was given Olive Oil by Ejike Camillus Anthony Ebenezer Mbaka (a.ka Rev. Father Mbaka) a Catholic Priest in Enugu to cure his illness.

3. That upon coming across the news of the embattled gospel singer who is now deceased, he advised his family to ignore Rev. Mbaka’s Olive Oil and without delay fly him to India for proper treatment.

4. That without inviting Evang Chuwkuebuka Anozie Obi, the spiritual director of Zion Ministry into the matter he fired at him, asking him to stop attacking Rev. Father Mbaka who he claims is his spiritual father and that if he attacks Rev. Father Mbaka again he will deal with him ruthlessly.

5. That since then there have been some exchange between him and Evang. Ebuka Obi without any element of hate, crime, threat or vawulence until surprisingly at about 8.00am on Sunday, 19/11/2023, when a team of firm, stern and combat looking and heavily armed officers of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Abuja, under your control attacked and invaded his Center recklessly, firing gun shots within his premises.

6. That in the pandemonium that ensued from the illegal and unlawful activities of your officers, he and members of his organizations scrambled for safety but were nonetheless fished out, intimidated, harassed, embarrassed and brutalized and in fact one of his members Alum Okorie was shot by your men and is now in critical condition receiving treatment in the hospital.

7. That he was arrested like a common criminal without a warrant of arrest and/or court order and paraded in his neigbourhood before he was taken from Onitsha to SARS Headquarters Akwuzu in Anambra State from there to Asaba and flown to Abuja where he was detained until Tuesday evening when he was granted administrative bail and was asked to report on Wednesday, 22/11/2023 the next day for further interrogation and interview with you.

8. That on Wednesday, you did not turn up to conduct the interview having waited the whole day and for health reasons he had to travel back to Onitsha to take care of his health.

9. That he hardly arrived Onitsha when on Thursday he received your call to report back to Abuja which he complied with by flying down by air at his own expense.

10. That during the interview conducted by you on Thursday. He was made to confront the complainant, one Mr. Aku Zion, a member of Evang. Ebuka Obi Zion Ministry whose complaint against him was that he spoke rudely to his Spiritual Prophet on Social Media and therefore ‘has committed an offence’.

11. That after the interview you ordered him to be locked up for no just cause under dehumanized and excruciating conditions in your cell.

In view of the above, it is clear that the continued detention of our Client by you and the Nigerian Police Force is a flagrant violation of our Client’s fundamental rights to the dignity of human person, the personal liberty, the freedom of thought conscience and religion, the freedom of speech and freedom of movement and therefore illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

Our Client is a law abiding citizen and has not committed any crime or violated any law of the land to warrant his continued detention. We are accordingly demanding you release him forthwith with apologies from the Nigerian Police Force within 24 (Twenty Four) Hours of your receipt of this letter, failing which we have the firm instruction of our Client to you go to Court to seek redress without further recourse.

LET WISE COUNSEL PREVAIL

Yours faithfully,
FOR: MALCOLM OMIRHOBO & CO.,

……………………………………
Chief Malcolm Omirhobo Esq.
Ernest Okpaga Esq

cc: (1) The Inspector General of Police
The Nigerian Police Force
Force Headquarters

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