By Agba Jalingo
Laughable as the charges may look, the intention of Governor Ayade who is behind this “politically motivated” charade is throwing a kite to test how he can lock the accused up and disrupt opposition campaigns in the State. I used to think that terrorism is a very very terrible and rare to use word. Anytime I heard that word, I shivered but governor Ayade has so trivialized it that sometimes I erroneously feel they are lying against everyone accused of terrorism.
If you examine the court process which I shared yesterday and also examine the Police Investigation Report and the eventual lumping together of all those names in the charge, you will easily see that the charge in court is not meant to get justice for the murdered policeman but to orchestrate another political trial that will go no where but rather perpetrate further injustice on the cop who died on duty.
After Inspector Emmanuel Martins Ubi, was killed while on election duty in Obudu by armed thugs, documents, including statements made by the Senior Police Officers who were on ground said, eleven locally made pistols and some cartridges were recovered from the scene. The documents did not say who the pistols and cartridges were recovered from.
DSP Ibangha, the leader, Patrol Team C of Operation Puff Adder (now Operation Restore Peace) who were on ground said in his statement that, supporters of Ella Ushie, started firing when his convoy forcibly drove into the premises of the PDP primaries election which led to the death of Inspector Emmanuel Martins Ubi, and another police officer sustaining injuries.
The Area Commander of the Ogoja Area Command, ACP Etim said upon hearing the shots fired, he was informed that one of the boys who came with Ella Ushie fired at a police man.
The Police Investigation Report PIR, said:
- 10 men were arrested including the suspect who fired at the deceased police inspector and all aspirants excluding Udayi Julius.
- 11 locally made pistols with cartridges, 9mm ammunition, knives and charms were recovered.
- One gun was allegedly recovered from the car of one Emmanuel Abua but there was no evidence to corroborate this.
- That the campaign team of Peter Akpanke should be monitored.
- That there is no prove to sustain that any aspirant was found with any arm in their possession.
- That other suspects should be discharged for want of evidence while Joseph Akin aka Obino remains in custody.
Questions Arising:
A. If the Police Investigation Report says there is no evidence to sustain that any of the aspirants was found with any arm in their possession, why are all the aspirants then named as accused persons in the charge sheet?
B. If the Police Investigation Report recommended that all other suspects should be discharged for want of evidence unless, Joseph Akin aka Obino, who is alleged to have fired the shot that killed Inspector Ubi, upon what grounds were Peter Akpanke, Ella Ushie, Augustine Agba and KJ Agba, charged?
C. As a matter of fact, KJ Agba was not even mentioned in any of the documents or even witness statements to the Police, how did his name then appear in the charge sheet?
D. In all this brouhaha, what exactly constitutes terrorism in the real sense of the word or has terrorism just become like any other buzz word under Ayade?
CrossRiverWatch was on ground during that election and we witnessed what happened first hand. I have attached a video here where mobile policemen who were on duty were heard shouting out loudly who they saw shooting their colleague. You can watch the CrossRiverWatch video and hear for yourself.
Shifting the charge from the Police to FRN vs Accused Persons, is not different from the same trick they used to prosecute me too for terrorism. Shifting blames and responsibility in disguise. The real plan of governor Ayade is simply to use this charge and the courts to lock up Peter Akpanke who is running for House of Reps, in prison and disrupt his campaign. I am not enthusiastic about Peter’s candidacy but this particular matter is a smokescreen targeted at him to gain political advantage and it must be resisted in the bud.
Ayade and his cohorts should look for more credible minuses against their opponents and prepare to enter the field. No one should try to use instruments of State to frustrate opponents because such prebendal chicanery will be torpedoed.
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.
