Lawyers, activists condemn arrest of Middle Belt leader

From Fred Itua, Abuja

Condemnation has trailed the arrest of the President of the Middle Belt Youth Vanguard Mr. Godwin Meliga by the DG of the DSS for exposing the plot of the DG DSS o frame the CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele for Terrorism Financing.

Human rights lawyers led by Emeka Ozoani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, have condemned the arrest and offered free legal services to Meliga Godwin and other officials of the Coalition of National Interest Defenders who are being harassed and threatened by the Service.

Ethnic groups and Civil society organizations have also condemned the arrest and have rather called for the removal of the DG DSS from office and also called for his arrest.

The groups insist that the press conference by the coalition for which the DSS is now arresting them is not a crime known to law and that it was the arbitrary whims and caprices of the DG DSS that was now leading him.

The statement reads: “We the ethnic youth leaders comprising of Ohanaeze, Arewa, Oduduwa, Middlebelt, South South Youth forums and Civil Society Organisation, African Center for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR) are totally condemning the arrest of the President of the Middle Belt Youth Vanguard Mr. Godwin Meliga by the DG of the DSS for exposing the plot of the DG to frame the CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele for Terrorism Financing.

“Meliga was abducted from his house in Gwarinpa, Abuja at 1am on 8th January in a bid to silence him from further exposing how the DG DSS was involved in the aborted plot to frame the CBN Governor for terrorism.

“Meliga is among the few good Nigerians demanding the sack and arrest of the DG for the failed criminal Act, in a bid to appoint his stooge as CBN Governor. We are warning that no harm should come to one of our own. Not even a single hair should leave Meliga’s body. We call on the DG to immediately release Mr Meliga and stop his evil clampdown on people exercising their human rights. We also call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the compromised DG, Bichi.”