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We wish to draw the attention of the general public to the deteriorating
health condition of our client, Mr. Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu (IJELE),
who has been detained since March 19, 2024, at the instance of the
Nigeria Police Force, on a purely civil dispute.
A few days ago, our attention was drawn to the fact that our client, who
is currently detained at the Nigeria Correctional Centre (NCC), Ikoyi,
Lagos State, is gravely ill. As at the time of issuing this public statement,
our client’s health condition has deteriorated to the point of coughing
up blood, with no medical facilities available to restore his health within
the NCC, Ikoyi.
It will be recalled that in furtherance of its desire to perpetually keep
our client in detention, the Nigeria Police Force has filed three pending
identical charges FHC/ABJ/CR/159/2024; INSPECTOR GENERAL
OF POLICE V CHIZOROM HARRIS OFOEGBU: FHC/L/312C/2924;
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE V CHIZOROM HARRIS OFOEGBU
and FHC/AWK/CR/2024:INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE V
CHUKWUKA CHIZOROM OFOEGBU, against our client, at the Federal
High Court, Abuja, Lagos and Awka, all at the instance of the same
coalition of nominal complainants, and for the same alleged civil
dispute.
On June 14, 2024, the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, granted our
client bail, following the spirited legal intervention of our revered
Learned Silks Femi Falana, SAN, and Funmi Falana, SAN. However, in
order to frustrate the bail granted to our client, officers of the Nigeria
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Police Force immediately went to NSC Ikoyi, and attempted to forcefully
transfer him to Awka, Anambra state, on the basis of an alleged criminal
summons.
It is on this note that we are constrained to state that the action of the
Nigeria Police Force against our client has moved beyond criminal
prosecution to persecution. The Nigeria Police Force must refrain from
making itself available as an interventionist in civil disputes between
citizens.
As our client’s health continue to deteriorate by the hour, we call on the
Inspector General of Police to direct its officers to respect court orders
and desist from further persecution of our client, who enjoys
constitutional presumption of innocence. A dead defendant cannot
stand trial.
Silas Onwugbonu, Esq
Deji Adeyanju & Partners
June 24, 2024
