#FreeIGWala: THE ARREST AND DETENTION OF IG WALA: THE BEGINNING OF A DEADLY END

PRESS STATEMENT

10TH JANUARY 2018

THE ARREST AND DETENTION OF IG WALA: THE BEGINNING OF A DEADLY END

Ibrahim Garba Wala, a frontline activist and social crusader has been arrested and detained for 7 whole days now. He is locked up in a police cell in Abuja, the capital of the world largest black nation, a supposedly democratic country.


Charge him to court. No! Release him on bail. No! For 7 days.

Few months ago IG Wala stirred the hornets’ nest when he started revealing startling information about the humongous corruption going on at the Hajj Commission and he regaled the public on how the Chairman of the Hajj Commission, Abdullah Mukhtar, is neck deep in the rottenness oozing from the Hajj Commission.

Then they came for him.

First, we heard that the Chairman of the Commission filed a suit in court against Wala; and that is well within the Chairman’s rights. If he feels that anyone, including Wala, has infringe on his rights or defame his character he reserves the rights to approach the court for redress.

Then all of the sudden the police came in. The coercive apparatuses of our state was unleashed on a fellow citizen in a most brazen manner. He was arrested and detained without a charge. As I write, Wala is still languishing in a police cell. Because he spoke against the powers that be.

The truth is that this is bigger than IG Wala. It is about us, all of us. It is about activists and activism. It is about dissenting voices. They are testing the waters ahead of the coming season. They are checking to see if anything will happen if a frontline activist like Wala is arrested and detained without charges. They are waiting to see what we will do, what will happen, then if nothing truly happens, we are toast: the premier league season of arresting activists and throwing them into detention without charges will come upon us with a bang.

But they should fail. They will fail.

We call on President Buhari to order the Inspector General of Police to release IG Wala immediately. How can an administration who rode to power on the mantra of fighting corruption begin to throw anti-corruption crusaders into detention because they spoke against corruption? On whose side is the Inspector General of Police, on the side of corruption or anti-corruption? Why is the Chairman of the Hajj Commission not under investigation? Is the Inspector General of Police supposed to be investigating the allegations Wala made against the Chairman or detaining Wala for making the allegations?

We call on every activist, We call on every advocate, We call on every intellectual, We call on every man and woman of conscience, We call on every Nigerian, We call on members of the International Community to stand up for the #FreeIGWala.

As Wala’s lawyers attempt to activate the justice system via the courts to get him released, let’s speak sense to power. Let’s say No to the Police picking us up randomly and locking us up without charges. This has to stop. Let’s write emails, let’s tweet, let’s make posts, let’s make calls… let’s speak up to power and tyranny. If they don’t listen, we shall walk up to them in their air-conditioned offices and demand for our rights.

RELEASE IBRAHIM GARBA WALA IMMEDIATELY!

F. Baba Isa, Esq.,
FBI LEGAL, Abuja.
07037162029

Rekiya Onaivo Sanni,
Yemisi Oshaloto,
Aisha Mohammed,
Angela Uyi Dpa,
Ibrahim Morocco,
Mallam Yusuf Amoke,
Liberty Badmus,
Efemena Edafioka,
Abubakar Madugu,
Manasse Allen,
Efe T. Williams,
Johnson Andrew,
Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed.
Hammid Bakare,
Femi Animashaun,
Abdulrazaq O Hamzat,
Asabe Aliyu,
Aliyu Zakari,
Maryam Hali,
Ola Shamsuldeen Adeniji.
Daniel  Seun  Olatunde,
Miriam Yakubu Ikunaiye.

On behalf of Free IG Wala Support Group.
Sponsored by CUPS.

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About King Angela Uyi

I am Angela Uyi aka Mama Naija|Two time Social Media Personality Winner| A smooth talker| Humanitaria| Ghost Writer| CopyWriter |Twitter:@Angelauyi |