– Says unlawful arrest of Imo journalist plot to gag the press
July 28 (Newshour.com.ng) – The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL), have called for the immediate release of Imo broadcast journalist, Chinonso Uba, popularly known as Nonsokwa.
Uba was arrested on Thursday morning, on his way home from programme at Ozisa FM, a Radio Station owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri by Nigerian police and wisk away to Abuja.
The statement issued by COSEYL, President General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru, urged the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to immediately release the detained Imo journalist unconditionally.
The statement read, “The attention of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex sociopolitical youth group in the South East geopolitical zone has been drawn to an unlawful arrest and detention of Mr Theodore Chinonso Uba popularly known as Nonso Nkwa a journalist working with Osisa FM in Owerri, Imo state by the Nigerian Police and whisked to Abuja for performing his constitutional duties as a journalist.
‘The intimidation, harassment and unlawful arrest of Nonso Nkwa is a plot to gag the press so that they will not perform their constitutional duties and we condemn it in its entirety.
“Journalist are the watchdog of our society and any attack on them is an attack on all Nigerians and we not allow it to happen.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to immediately and unconditionally release the detained journalist who from all indication is a victim of persecution and intimidation for performing his constitutional duties.
“We demand that compensation be paid to him for denying him freedom to life and human dignity as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
“We called on journalist all over the world, the International community, the United Nations, all lovers of democracy and all Nigerians to stand up in defense of democracy that is on the verge of collapse in Nigeria.
“The press is the corner stone of any democracy and an attack on them is an attack our democracy.
‘We warn that an attack on journalists should not be heard again. Enough said”, they asserted.
