Charge Nonsonkwa To Court Or Release Him, NUJ Tells Police
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo State Council has asked the Imo State Police Command to charge Mr. Chononso Uba, an Owerri-based radio presenter to court or release him on bail.
Uba popularly known as Nnonsonkwa was arrested by police on Sunday on allegations of cyberstalking, character defamation, spreading misinformation and inflammatory statements.
According to a statement signed by the council’s chairman, Comrade Precious Nwadike and the secretary, Ori Martins on Tuesday condemned the “Gestapo-style” the police used in the arrest of Nnonsonkwa and warned he should not exceed 48 hours in the custody of the police.
The council further advised the police to handle the situation within the ambit of the law and refrain from any actions or statements that could suggest that the Police are attempting to suppress differing viewpoints within the community.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo State Council, has been drawn to the Gestapo-style arrest and detention of radio presenter and activist, Mr. Chononso Uba otherwise known as Nonsonkwa, by the operatives of the Imo State Police Command on October 20, 2024.
“According to a release by the command and made available to the NUJ, the police insist that Nonsonkwa’s arrest was in response to a petition signed by a faceless group it simply identified as “Concerned Citizens” accusing Nonsonkwa of cyberstalking, character defamation, spreading misinformation and inflammatory statements related to the burning of the National Open University (NOUN) Study Center in Nsu, Ehime Mbano LGA, on September 30, 2024, inciting civil unrest.
“In the light of the above, we, the members of Imo State NUJ, fervently ask the Imo State Police Command, to toe the path of honour, integrity and professionalism by either charging Nonsonkwa to court immediately or releasing him on bail without further delay.
“This is so because the command has clarified that the activist was not abducted as widely reported.
The command conceded that Nonsonkwa is currently being detained at the State Police Headquarters and will be arraigned in court with appropriate charges once a ‘comprehensive investigation is completed’.
“By the stipulations of the law, Nonsonkwa is not supposed to be detained beyond 48 hours before being charged to court, and it is on this premise, that we urge the Imo Police Command to be more professional in the handling of the Nonsonkwa affair and avoid anything that may portray the Police as seeking to repress divergent opinions from the civil populace.”
Charge Nonsonkwa To Court Or Release Him, NUJ Tells Police is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
