Men of the Nigeria police yesterday arrested and have continued to keep in detention the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Mbagba Council Ward of Ushongo LGA, Benue State, Hon. Peter Asende and five other persons.
Hon. Asende and the others were arrested at the Ward Secretariat of the PDP at Atekombo Market Square in Mbagba where they had gone to conduct an administrative function of the party, and have since been kept in custody of the police at their Lessel Divisional office.
Confirming the development via phone, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Lessel office, Benjamin Nem, said the persons were arrested on the orders of the Caretaker Chairman of Ushongo, Mvendaga Atetan, on grounds of violation of the ban on Public Gatherings recently proclaimed by Governor Hyacinth Alia.
DPO Benjamin Nem further declined entertaining the request for the bail of the detained persons which was made by former Ushongo Executive Chairman, Lady Veronica Nyiaii Gajir, stating that the Caretaker Chairman reserves the powers to grant the bail request since he is the complainant.
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Caretaker Chairman, Mvendaga Atetan, in turn speaking on phone declined bail for the detainees since, according to him, it is a weekend and nothing can be done about it.
The Ushongo Caretaker Chairman also claimed that the presence of the arrested persons at the party Secretariat had earlier been resisted by one Aondoyima Iorliam who locked the facility with a padlock, but the arrested persons had forcefully gained entrance into it.
In his view the action constituted a breach of the peace of the area and a violation of the ban on public gatherings, and when reminded that it is harsh and a violation of the fundamental rights of the arrested persons to keep them in detention for such a length of time, Chairman Atetan insisted that they had flouted the law and must face the consequences.
According to the statement by Chief Bemgba Iortyom, he noted that from available facts, Hon. Peter Asende and the others were at the party Secretariat to hold a lawful administrative function of the party within the confines of their offices when they were arrested by the police.
Efforts are underway to seek the intervention of the law to enforce the fundamental rights of the detained persons.
