Woman
Persecuted for Housing “Ambazonians”
The Federal
High Court in Abuja, Nigeria is set to hear a suit on March 2, filed by Mrs
Augustine Winifred, challenging her arrest and detention by authorities.
Winifred, a
Taraba State indigene was arrested for allegedly accommodating Cameroonian
refugees, her lawyer Femi Falana says.
Falana hopes the court declares her
detention at the police head quarters in Abuja illegal and frees her
immediately.
The human rights lawyer will also be
seeking to an order to force the Nigerian police to release four Naturalised
Nigerias from Cameroon who are Dr John Ojong Okongho, Nsoh Nabowah Bih,
ThankGod Genesis and Nasiru Bah.
The four were transferred to the
police while 47 other persons arrested were handed over to Cameroonian
authorities where they have been held incommunicado.
According to Abdul Oroh, who has
been providing legal support for the detainees, ”two out of the five in custody
are among the 12 leaders of the group the Nigerian government arrested last
month.”
Leader of the separatists, Julius
Ayuk Tabe and 11 others who reportedly gathered at Nera Hotels Abuja on January
6 to discuss the influx of thousands of Cameroonian asylum seekers to Nigeria
following protests in October were arrested and detained by Nigerian security
for about a month. About 39 other Ambasonian separatist leaders were detained
in Taraba. Dozens of those arrested were handed over to Cameroon authorities by
the Nigerian government.
According to Mr. Abdul, there was
uncertainty over the number of the separatists deported and the ones still in
custody because the Nigerian government failed to announce the deportation
which is being celebrated by Cameroonian authorities as a major victory in a
clampdown on Mr. Tabe and other leaders of the self-proclaimed Ambasonia state.
The court will also be hearing same
day another suit filed by Falana challenging the deportation of the 47
Cameroonian accused of secession.
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