Nigerians have condemned the continued detention of chairman of Capital Oil limited, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah by the Department of State Service (DSS) over a business transaction between the Capital Oil and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Most of the people who spoke during a radio call-in programme in the Nigeria Info 95.1 FM said the DSS was illegally detaining the oil mogul and called on the security agency to respect the rights of Nigerians by following the due process of the law.
Chief Ubah was arrested and detained by the DSS over allegation that he sold fuel belonging to the federal government valued at N11 billion. Meanwhile, Ubah in his reaction showed documents to prove that the federal government had been owing his firm over N16 billion for using his facilities to keep fuel.
A court recently extended Ubah’s detention by another 14 days.
One of the callers during the phone-in programme averred that Ubah’s ordeal may not be unrelated to his association with the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda of Nigeria (TAN) during the 2014 general elections.
He pointed out that the Ubah had played serious roles in the past to avert fuel crisis in the country and so it was a case of falsehood to accuse him of economic sabotage and attempting to incite petroleum tanker drivers to embark on strike.
“Capital Oil and the NNPC are legal entities, Ubah is not the person that should be arrested and detained over a legal transaction by two legal bodies. DSS is only entertaining Nigerians with falsehood. Why are Nigerians not asking the government to pay Capital Oil the N16 billion debt it owes?” the caller queried.
Another caller noted that it is unjust for the government to owe any firm N16 billion, stressing that the aim of the government is for that firm to close shop and its employees thrown into the labour market.
He however advised Ubah to enjoy the persecution by the DSS saying that the courts would definitely release him.
“A debt of N16 billion is the biggest economic sabotage. It is the biggest corruption. The NNPC should be made to explain why is owing Capital Oil N16 billion,” the caller said.
One Muhammad Abdulkadir, speaking for the tanker drivers association said Ubah did not incite the tanker drivers. “Ubah did not incite us. We performed our duty to our members. You cannot call me a thief where you are owing me. The DSS is not umpire, it is a commercial conflict. They were not forced into the deal.
“DSS should not be involved. They are intimidating Ubah. If not resolved by the parties, the court is the final arbiter. The government should stop killing the private sector. The government indicated interest to deregulate and Capital Oil moved ahead. The government reneged and those who invested in the line were not compensated.
Another caller to the programme flayed the NNPC and DSS for the uncivilized treatment meted out to Ubah, insisting that the right and proper thing to do is to charge him to court without arresting and attempting to vilify him.
“Nigeria is not worth dying for. Subjecting Ubah to media trial and trying to destroy his name is unfair. He should be tried in court and if found guilty or not, he should be given what belongs to him. DSS should follow the rule of law. He should not be detained unnecessarily. The issue should not be limited to Ubah, there are over 200 families feeding from Ubah’s firms, they should also be considered,” he said.
Okwadike, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife
Following what it describes as disturbing scenarios of state sponsored abductions, arbitrary arrest and illegal detention in dungeons and surreptitious raids by the federal secret police- the Department of State Services, a call has gone to global leaders to save Nigeria from relapsing into civilian tyranny similar to the military dictatorship witnessed in the past.
Therefore, the United Nations Organization (UN Security Council) and world leaders including President Donald Trump of the United States, Mrs. Theresa May the prime minister of United Kingdom (UK) and the German Chancellor, Mrs. Angela Merkel, have been urged to intervene and halt the steady descent of Nigeria into dictatorship and police state.
Making the plea is the Pro-democracy and Non-Governmental Organization- Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) which particularly condemned the Department of State Services (DSS) for clamping down of many Nigerians into detention without trial for many months including the recent arrest of Chief Ubah.
Other high profile detainees include the recently released Ex-governor of Benue State Mr. Gabriel Suswan who was detained for over 90 days; the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and the frequent harassment of perceived independent voices and political opposition leaders including the Governor of Rivers State Mr. Nyesom Wike.
HURIWA has also alleged that the Nigeria Police force, the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seem to be working in collaboration with some powerful Presidency officials to invade private homes of perceived political opponents and deploying crude tactics to force prominent members of the opposition People’s Democratic party in the National Assembly to cross over to the national ruling All Progressives Congress to weaken multiparty democracy in Nigeria.
The Pro-democracy Group said it has resolved to send petitions for the umpteenth time to World leaders on Nigeria’s current rapid descent into dictatorship and a full blown police state due to the intolerance of independent voices by the department of state services and security forces generally.
The Media aide to Chief Ubah, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyia, who was contacted during the phone-in programme, said Ubah believes in the rule of law.
“The DSS picked him up the moment they were served court papers on Ubah seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights. NNPC is corrupt and using the DSS to harass Ubah to silence him. Ubah is a genuine businessman. You may hate him as a person, you may hate Capital Oil, but the issue at stake is the economy and the employees.
“Government should respect business processes. This is where NNPC has failed and resort to using DSS to harass him. The Throughput Agreement allows the one in custody of the product to use it and produce it on demand. Where defaulted, the courts are the final arbiters. A debt of N16 billion is the biggest economic sabotage. NNPC should explain why it is indebted to Capital Oil to the tune of N16 billion,” he said.
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