Less than four days after his release on bail from detention, an Imo-based journalist and rights activist, Nonso Uba known as Nonso Nkwa, has made startling revelations about his arrest by Ebubeagu militants and operatives of Tiger Base of the Nigeria Police and his 54 days in detention.
Nonso Nkwa, was arrested on the 20th of October 2024 opposite Teachers House Port Harcourt road, on charges of treason and for trying to organize a protest against police brutality.
He was taken to the Imo State CID, and locked up at the intelligence department, before being hurriedly bundled to the Magistrate Court 1 on Oct 23rd where he was remanded in prison custody.
After 54 days in detention, he was however released on bail.
Narrating his ordeal in prison, Nonso Nkwa said it was a lifetime opportunity to hear from those who were there during the jailbreak and what exactly happened and those who returned after the jailbreak and of course their reasons for returning.
He said the stay afforded him the opportunity to peruse through the various judgement rulings of some of those sentenced or condemned, observing loopholes and miscarriage of justice.
The rights activist also revealed about 800 inmates awaiting trial have no access to the law court, with some of them having spent two to ten years in prison without going to court.
Nonso Nkwa, who is also the President, Protect The Weak International Foundation, PROWIF, further accused the Tiger Base Owerri of the Nigeria Police of committing a lot of atrocities against people of Imo State, condemning the commando-styled operation of the police formation.
“It will be a taboo if I fail to mention one of the ugliest parts of my experience and discovery while in prison.
“As a journalist and Activist, I carried out a thorough investigation and discovered that Tiger Base brought half of those in prison half-dead.
“There was a case of one inmate Brought by Tiger Base but because of the condition of the suspect, the prison management refused to accept the young man brought by Tiger Base. The Tiger Base operative who brought the half-dead young man did the most ruthless thing to the chagrin of prison management.
“Instead of taking the young man to the hospital, the ruthless Tiger Base operative took a 2by2 plank and started hitting the already dying young man. It was at this point that the nurses rescued the young man. But unfortunately, the young man died a few weeks later in prison.
“I could go on and on with the atrocities being committed inside Tiger Base, but those of them who committed such atrocities will never escape justice at the appointed time.
“The investigating police officers( IPOs) are another problem in our justice system. Police officers who are supposed to investigate cases Brought to them would rather resort to taking bribes from the highest bidder, especially the complainant. Most inmates in prison are there today because their complainants bribed their IPO. It was in prison that I learned that police can add more charges to someone’s original charge to make sure the person is remanded in prison.
“These categories of Police officers are being investigated and shall be made public soon,” he said.
The activist, appealed to Magistrates and Judges in Imo State, to apply the community service part of punishment for minor crimes like burglary, stealing, fighting and some civil matters, instead of sentencing such persons to years in prison.
This he said, will help to decongest our prison and save lives, as according to him, the condition of inmates at the Federal Correctional Center Owerri is nothing to write home about.
He called on the Attorney General and the commissioner of justice of Imo state to kindly step into the matter of those who are yet to access justice by facilitating their going to court, while appealing to Governor Hope Uzodimma to exercise his prerogative powers on some inmates who have spent almost 16 to 21 years in prison and some very old men who are almost dying because of the frailty of old age.
Nonso Nkwa warned the Imo State Governor, Uzodinma against using faceless organisations and individuals to write baseless petitions against opposition and critics of the government, describing it as a childish political tactics that must backfire and bring shame to Imo state.
“To any government that lacks the confidence and trust of the people, truth is inciting to such government.
“I have no personal grudge against the governor nor anyone working for him, but I have serious issues with the way his information managers are managing his relationship with the people. There is an unprecedented gap of communication between the government and the Imo people because the media team of the governor only attacks personalities instead of issues raised.
“This is the greatest undoing of this administration!
“I will remain at the warfront of justice defending Ndi Imo with the weapon of Truth against political gamblers,” he concluded.
