The executives of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo (Ghana Chapter) have issued a press statement addressed to the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the continuous detention of their illustrious son Dr. Ifeanyi Uba C.E.O of Capital Oil.
The Ghana chapter of the apex Igbo Socio-cultural group issued the statement to the media at the Secretariat of All Nigerian Community " Nigerian House" in Accra Ghana .
After the press release , the executives of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Ghana led by its president Chief Emmanuel Ndubuisi visited the Nigeria high commission in Accra Ghana yesterday the 12th of June and officially presented a copy of the press statement to them.
Below is a full copy of the press statement as issued to the media.
The President
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
The Presidency,
Abuja, Nigeria.
08/06/17
Your Excellency,
STAND OF OHANAEZE NDI IGBO GHANA ON THE ILLEGAL ARREST AND DETENTION OF DR. PATRICK IFEANYI UBAH
We of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Ghana wish to express to your office our amazement and dismay at the unconstitutional arrest and continuous detention of our son Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah by the Department of State Security (DSS) of Nigeria. It is important to take into cognizance the intrinsic importance of the Capital Oil group to the smooth running of the downstream oil and gas sector of Nigeria.
It is noteworthy to point out that this same individual ; in the early days of your administration came to the rescue of the nation, when the oil marketers held the government and people in a choke hold by strategically ensuring that the biting fuel crisis was assuaged through immediate deployment of products in his reservoirs to the delight of every Nigerian.
Apart from the above mentioned critical part Ifeanyi Ubah has played in the oil and gas sector, he is one of the few individuals who have distinguished himself in positioning sports as a major foreign exchange earner and a high youth employment tool. He is currently running one of the most successful football clubs in Nigeria, and is at the same time building a stadium in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra state, which would be generating jobs and development to the people and the state.
It is also very preposterous to start imagining that a major player in the oiling of the economy of Nigeria would be incarcerated in such a manner that gives the impression that rule of law and regards for human rights is not countenanced anymore in the Nigerian state.
We have tried very hard but could not comprehend how a business transaction between Capital Oil Ltd, a Nigerian registered concern and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) could lead to Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah being accused of treason and economic sabotage by the DSS. The most ludicrous and unfortunate aspect of this saga is the statement by the DSS that his offence attracts a DEATH PENALTY! This is more or less pre-empting the judgment of the said case before it even goes to a competent court of jurisdiction.
Moreover, the arbitrary and hasty court order obtained from an Abuja court one hour after Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah was granted bail by a Lagos High court to keep him in extended illegal detention for another 14 days, after failing to bring him to court on two consecutive occasions, is a very bad blotch on the integrity of the case and the sincerity of the State Security apparatus.
It is pertinent to note that these actions paints a very sordid image of the Nigerian security system and makes a laughing stock of the handling of judiciary in the comity of nations.
As Nigeria claims to be a free and democratic country that upholds the rights of every individual, we expected that the case should have been sent to a law court of competent jurisdiction and the accused given the freedom to defend himself. It is by so doing that the facts behind the said transactions would be laid bare and rule of law made to bear..
We must reiterate that the continuous illegal detention of Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah by the DSS and the secret scheming to confiscate his assets can only succeed in further heating up the already troubled polity and lend credence to the age long suspicion that Nigerians of Igbo extraction are always targeted for persecution and emasculation.
We sincerely hope you would use your good office to wade into the matter and speak up to uphold justice and rule of law.
Thank you.
Signed
Chief Emma Ndubuisi
President Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Ghana
