…Cautions Against Breaches of Citizens’ Constitutional Liberties
By Jeff Agbodo
AWKA — The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has urged Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to respect and uphold the constitutional rights of citizens, particularly their freedom of religion and the preservation of cultural heritage and antiquities.
The call was made in a strongly worded open letter titled “Intersociety Special Guide to Anambra State Executive Council”, signed by the group’s Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and issued in response to reports of alleged unlawful detention of native doctors and custodians of traditional deities across the state.
Intersociety appealed to the Soludo-led government to safeguard the Igbo ethnic identity, cultural institutions, and their custodians, stressing the importance of handling cultural and religious matters within the framework of the rule of law and human rights.
The group emphasized that anyone arrested for criminal offenses—whether felonies, misdemeanors, or simple offenses—must be promptly charged to court or granted bail within constitutionally allowed time frames.
“The state must desist from reckless false labelling and hearsay conclusions, or the entertainment of frivolous petitions used to justify unlawful arrests and prolonged detentions without trial,” the letter warned.
Intersociety raised alarm over increasing reports of indiscriminate arrests and detentions by both conventional and unconventional security outfits operating in the state on behalf of the government.
“We have credible evidence that several individuals have been falsely accused, labelled as ritualists, kidnappers, fraudsters, or herbalists aiding criminals, and detained for three to five months or more without trial,” the group claimed.
Specifically, the group accused the state-backed security outfit, Agunaechemba (Udogachi) of spearheading arbitrary arrests under vague or fabricated allegations.
“Chief Priests of ancient communal deities, including custodians of the historic Market Deities, have been targeted, arrested, and detained without fair hearing,” Intersociety stated.
The 11-page letter also urged the government to protect priests of traditional deities, such as the 600-year-old Udo-Orie Uga Deity, in line with Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and international instruments including:
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976)
Article 8 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981)
Highlighting a recent example, the group called on the state government and police authorities to protect the Chief Priest of the Udo-Orie Uga Market Deity, Nze Chukwunenye Okoli-Udo, from what it described as “threatening actions by certain community leaders and radical Christian elements.”
“This ancient deity has survived at least seven destructive attacks over the last 13 years,” Intersociety noted, “and we have intervened in its defense multiple times, including in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021.”
The group concluded by calling on the Soludo administration to reaffirm its commitment to constitutional liberties, religious tolerance, and the preservation of cultural heritage in Anambra State.
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