Youths of Kogi Central Senatorial District have called for the immediate release of a 22 year-old Isah Aliyu reportedly arrested by the police in Lokoja and whisked away to Abuja on the orders of the Senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the district, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Aliyu was accused of being the administrator of a Facebook page alleged to have published a defamatory post against the PDP candidate.
The youths in a press statement on Saturday, stated that Aliyu was arrested on Wednesday in what they described as a gestapo-like operation, calling on the PDP candidate and the government of the state to ensure his immediate release from detention.
According to them, the post for which the boy was being detained, had been live on major Nigerian blogs two days before it was munched for repost by the Facebook blog.
The statement reads: “We have read in reports, the offence for which one of our brothers have been arrested, and having spent more than 48-hours in police detention without any arraignment whatsoever, we are forced to believe that this is a political oppression that must be condemned in strong terms by all the youths of Ebiraland.
“If Isah Aliyu was affiliated to the Facebook page as alleged, it is only lawful that he or the platform where the said post was made, be arraigned before the court; not forcing him to confess affiliation under duress and threats. Keeping him in detention beyond his rights is an affront on his fundamental human rights, as well as the youths of Ebiraland whom the Senatorial candidate of the PDP so desire to represent.
“Therefore, we are calling on Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan to rescind this action of hers, and immediately order his release, because an injury to one is an injury to all. Isah Aliyu, a 22 year-old is no such an asset to be so unfairly treated and dehumanized in the name of political war.
“This is also an appeal to all Kogi Central politicians, regardless of political party, to desist from playing our youths in their chosen field of political battle. If you must represent us, you must prove to us now that our fundamental rights are respected when you get the leadership position you vie for.”
