Okah threatens to sue Dambazau, others for being dumped in solitary confinement

Charles Okah, a brother to Henry Okah and leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has decried his solitary confinement at Kuje Prisons and asked the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Dambazau, to intervene in his situation or be sued to court.

In a letter to the minister, Okah gave him seven days to intervene on the matter else he will initiate contempt proceedings against his office, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) as well as the officer-in-charge of Kuje Prisons.

The Okahs, Charles and Henry have been in detention since 2010 in Nigeria and South Africa respectively. They are facing trial over the Independence Day bombing at Eagle Square, Abuja.

Charles, in a letter to Dambazau, through his lawyer, Timipa Okponipere, said his being kept in solitary confinement by officials of Kuje Prisons is a gross violation of a court order by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, which directed he should not be kept in solitary confinement.

“We have the instruction of our client to bring to your notice the fact that, as of 15.00 hours of February 3, 2017 the Kuje Prisons authorities have resumed the illegal practice of keeping our client in solitary confinement.

Read also: Deportees stranded at airport, say they can’t trace their families

“This is a gross violation of the court order given by Justice Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, January 30, 2017 to the effect that, on no account should our client be subjected to solitary confinement within the Kuje prisons.

“We are, therefore, by this letter, urging you to use your good offices to direct the officer-in-charge of Kuje Prisons to comply with the said court order.

“However, we will initiate contempt proceedings against your office, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) as well as the officer-in-charge of Kuje Prisons if, within seven-days of receipt of this letter, our client is not released from solitary confinement,” part of the letter read.

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now