Secret Reporters No place to hide
Fejiro Oliver
Following the illegal detention of an Editor, Thomas Thomas with an Uyo based Newspaper called Global Concord, Elombah.com has learnt of a self imposed law sponsored by Governor Godswill Akpabio named ‘Akwa Ibom internal and Security law’ which was passed into law in March 2011 following the bitter political clash between the governor and the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate, Senator Akpan Udoudoehe
Thomas Thomas who was arrested deceitfully by the State Security Service (SSS) was first taken to the SSS headquarter with initial denial from them, until media reports forced them to own up, before charging him to court in a case against the state with 3 count charges.
The Editor In Chief of the Newspaper, Solomon Johnny who spoke to Elombah.com revealed that Thomas Thomas was only charged to court on Wednesday, where he was taken back to the SSS cell and kept incommunicado. The state law which Akpabio is using to keep the Editor permits him to detail any citizen if the state accused of wrong doing for 14 days which can also be renewed by another 14 days without court actions.
He told this Newspaper that they are challenging that law as it does not conform with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which stipulates that a citizen must be charged to court within 48 hours.
The illegal arrest which was supported by the State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has received criticism from Nigerians, with a hashtag of #FreeThomasThomas already launched on twitter by Fejiro Oliver, with popular social media activist like Japhet Omojuwa, Kayode Ogundamisi, Ayo Obe and others using it to demand for his release.
