While President Goodluck Jonathan is calm as his boy, Nyesom Wike and CP Joseph Mbu carry on with their reign of terror on the people of River State, the man he made governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson is also doing his own, like an emperor who doesn't accommodate criticisms.
After 86 days behind bars, a business man, Mr Tonye Okio, who was imprisoned for allegedly criticizing the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, on his Facebook account, has finally been released. Mr. Okio, a former Abuja liason officer for Bayelsa State, was arrested on October 26 for what the police described as an “offence of seditious publications”.
His lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, numerous Nigerians, and civil rights activists described the charge as spurious and a show of the high-handedness of the governor of Bayelsa State but the impunity continued.
Mr. Okio was detained without trial for 10 days and after a human rights abuse suit instituted by his lawyer, he was hastily charged to a Magistrate Court for defamatory publication against the Bayelsa governor.
The magistrate granted him bail on conditions described by a civil society activist as 'ridiculous'. Mr. Okio’s bail conditions included N5million with one surety in like sum. The surety must be a permanent secretary in the state and resident within the court’s jurisdiction. The defendant’s counsel, Mr. Aturu, said the condition was like granting bail with one hand and taking it away with another.
Mr. Okio was detained without trial for 10 days and after a human rights abuse suit instituted by his lawyer, he was hastily charged to a Magistrate Court for defamatory publication against the Bayelsa governor.
The magistrate granted him bail on conditions described by a civil society activist as 'ridiculous'. Mr. Okio’s bail conditions included N5million with one surety in like sum. The surety must be a permanent secretary in the state and resident within the court’s jurisdiction. The defendant’s counsel, Mr. Aturu, said the condition was like granting bail with one hand and taking it away with another.
“Given the subservience of our public officers today, unless a member of his family or acquaintance was a permanent secretary, it was clear that the conditions could not be met. And precisely that was what happened”.Mr. Aturu said the defendant’s family searched in vain for a permanent secretary that would risk his position by offending Governor Dickson and standing as Mr. Okio’s surety. In Bayelsa, people are afraid!
Okio’s team filed an application at the Nembe Division of the Bayelsa High Court to demand a variation in the bail conditions. The court reportedly fixed three consecutive days for hearing and was unable sit on any of those days in what was seen as a deliberate attempt to delay justice for Mr. Okio.
But on January 21, after 86 days and several interventions by the civil society, Justice Buofini of the Bayelsa High Court quashed the bail conditions, rendering Mr. Okio a free man.
Mr. Aturu praised Justice Buofini’s decision:
“I commend the High Court judge for privileging citizens right over petty schemings of politicians, although we were initially disappointed that the case was not expeditiously treated, given that the liberty of a citizen was involved.”
He said he hopes the case has shown public officers like Governor Dickson that they can no longer use their positions to intimidate Nigerians.
But on January 21, after 86 days and several interventions by the civil society, Justice Buofini of the Bayelsa High Court quashed the bail conditions, rendering Mr. Okio a free man.
Mr. Aturu praised Justice Buofini’s decision:
“I commend the High Court judge for privileging citizens right over petty schemings of politicians, although we were initially disappointed that the case was not expeditiously treated, given that the liberty of a citizen was involved.”
He said he hopes the case has shown public officers like Governor Dickson that they can no longer use their positions to intimidate Nigerians.
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