The Nigerian Navy has been accused of illegally detaining a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Kevin Okorie, and two others, Jeffrey Agogoh and Udo, for supporting a bill to create a Nigerian Coast Guard. Okorie’s wife, Esther, raised the alarm, stating that her husband was arrested on by naval personnel from the Iwofe Aker Base in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to Esther, her husband had been in detention since September, despite her efforts to locate him and secure his release. She claimed that she received a call from Okorie on the day of his arrest, informing her that he was being invited to a meeting with the navy. However, he failed to return home, and his phone was unreachable.
Esther alleged that she visited the naval base on September 13, but the officers denied that her husband was in their custody. She claimed that she was told to report her husband’s disappearance to the police. However, Okorie later called her from an officer’s phone, confirming that he was being detained at the naval base.
Esther stated that she took food to the base, but was not allowed to see her husband. She claimed that some lawyers visited the base two weeks after Okorie’s disappearance, but the naval officers denied detaining him. Esther alleged that an officer, Eko, later informed her that her husband had been moved to Abuja, but provided no further information.
The Nigerian Navy spokesperson, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, denied the allegations, stating that there was no record of Okorie being in naval custody. However, Esther and members of the community have petitioned the Nigerian Bar Association for support, claiming that Okorie and the two others were detained for advocating for the establishment of a Nigerian Coast Guard.
The incident has raised concerns about the Nigerian Navy’s actions and the treatment of individuals who support the creation of a coast guard. The Nigerian Bar Association and other organizations have been called upon to investigate the matter and ensure that Okorie and the others are released from detention.
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