A right group known as International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has deemed the continued detention of native doctors by the Anambra state government as unconstitutional and urged Governor Charles Soludo to immediately release them.
The Anambra state government had signed a homeland security law about two months ago and consequently declared a crackdown on all the native doctors in the state who they alleged were preparing various charms for people that aided crimes and insecurity in the state.
Among the native doctors arrested were the prominent Chigozie Nwangwu, popularly known as akwa okuko tiwara aki, who has been widely known for his alleged fetish preparation of “Oke Ite” and other charms used for money rituals.
However, the right group have argued that the over 40 native doctors arrested by the governor Soludo-led administration are traditional worshippers. The group opined that they have the constitutional right that accords them the freedom of worship and tagged Governor Soludo’s action as “intolerance for other religions”.
Also, Intersociety insists that their continued detention, which has exceeded 60 days is now unconstitutional and urged the Governor to facilitate their immediate release.
The group said: “The traditional worshippers being held in Anambra have no case to answer in law. Governor Charles Soludo and his government, having failed a litmus test of being responsible, upholding human rights, and having freedom of religion, has lost legal and moral grounds to continue to detain without investigation.
“The over 40 detained traditional worshippers held illegally in an illegal detention facility (state militias’ Lion House at Awka) for more than 60 days should be released.
“The above clearly exceeded the constitutionally prescribed 24- 48 hours or maximum of 60 days if arrested by police or secret service and detained in any of their custodies for offenses bordering on capital punishments, especially when such detention is for the purpose of continuation and conclusion of criminal investigations.
“Governors in Nigeria, including Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, are constitutionally and statutorily barred from detaining citizens in their militias’ custodies through Remand Orders or Holden Charge.
“Following the failure of the Soludo-led government to ensure due process and rule of law in the instant case; and having controversially labeled, lampooned, ridiculed, humiliated and degraded them by publicly portraying them as those involved in fetish and demonic religious practices and violent crimes, the over 40 native doctors have no case to answer.”
The group identified several native doctors currently in detention, including Chigozie Nwangwu, known as “akwa okuko tiwara aki,” Abuchi Ikechukwu Okafor, Chijindu Nwaeze, and Onyeka Onyeji, who serves as the Vice President of the Umuoji Improvement Union. Other names mentioned were Onyeze Jesus and Ekene Igboekweze, better known as Eke-Hit, among others.
