Abia Gov’t Denies Persecution Of Lawyer, Says NBA Misinformed

The Abia State Government on Thursday denied allegation by the Nigeria Bar Association that it orchestrated the arrest of one Emperor Ogbonna, a lawyer, by the Department of State Security (DSS) to  frustrate him from meeting his bail conditions.

Ogbonna, who is facing charges of cybercrime at the Federal High Court Umuahia, was alleged to have made a false publication on his facebook page that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu  had visited a shrine in India where he swore to an oath of allegiance and  secrecy to a former governor of the state.

The NBA,  in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kunle Edun, had claimed that it was informed by its branch in Aba, Abia State, that the court had granted Ogbonna bail but that state government officials and the DSS arrested  and detained him before he could perfect his bail terms.

The NBA described the circumstances of his arrest as “disturbing” and alleged it was a “flagrant disobedience to a valid order of a Federal High Court and violation of the constitutional rights of Emperor Ogbonna Esq.”

But in a swift rejoinder by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr. A.C.B. Agbazuere, the government said the NBA was deliberately misinformed by its branch in Aba to embarrass the state government.

Agbazuere, in a statement titled “Putting the Record Straight,” exonerated the Abia State government from Ogbonna’s arrest and detention, adding that the NBA hould have investigated the claims of its Aba branch properly before issuing a statement, adding that facts relied upon by the association were “copiously false, erroneous and misleading.”

He said Governor Ikeazu strongly believes in the rule of law, adding that it was the reason why he went to court to seek redress after Ogbonna had made his false publication against him.

The chief of staff revealed that he had investigated why the lawyer was arrested by the DSS and it was unconnected to the case the Abia governor has against him.

He said: “I  have asked questions and I understand that the said Emperor Ogbonna was now arrested because he had made other divisive and subversive comments on his Facebook page against President Buhari and the Federal Republic of Nigeria referring to Nigeria as an Islamic Republic, calling for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari, calling for the removal of Northern Nigeria from Nigeria, describing Northern Nigeria as an illiterate population and the biggest problem of Nigeria and inciting comments that Buhari hates the Igbos. How does this concern Governor Ikpeazu or Abia State government officials?”

He also said that contrary to NBA’s claim that Ogbonna was being prosecuted on terrorism charges, the accused is facing charges of cybercrime.

Part of the statement read: “Paragraphs 1,2 and 3 of the NBA press statement clearly confirm that at least Mr. Ogbonna has accepted that he re-shared a post in his Facebook page that Governor Ikpeazu went to India and took an oath before a Hindu god to mortgage Abia State. He also made other posts on this. Governor Ikpeazu has never visited India all his life and as a law-abiding citizen, he took recourse to the law instead of self-help.

“The Governor reported this case of cybercrime to the Police and the Police arrested Mr. Ogbonna and charged him before the Federal High Court in Umuahia for cybercrime and not terrorism as the misinformation from NBA Aba opines.

“On 28^th April, 2020, the Federal High Court in Umuahia granted Mr. Ogbonna bail and adjourned the matter to 25^th May, 2020 for hearing. This is the much involving the Governor and we are ready to prosecute the case. No government official even attended Court on the said 28^th April, 2020, what more entering the Court premises for any arrest.”

He said no one was above the law and that the state would not abandon the charges of cybercrime against Ogbonna, adding that he believed the NBA would not support crime.