The Abuja Bureau Chief of National Life newspaper, Mr. Akin Orimolade, who was snatched in Abuja on Tuesday by security operatives from Bayelsa State, yesterday surfaced in a Magistrate’s Court on the outskirts of Yenagoa.
He was brought to the court in Biogbolo, a few kilometres to Yenagoa, the state capital, by plain-clothes security men in a blue Mercedes Benz 190 car.
Orimolade, clad in a white long sleeves shirt and blue striped trousers, was received on arrival at about 11.25 a.m by his colleagues in the state.
He protested to Governor Timipre Sylva’s Special Adviser on Legal Matters Dennis Otiotio, who was in the court premises, that he "was abducted from Abuja".
But Otiotio said the security agents acted in accordance with a court order.
"It should have been done in a more decent way," Orimolade insisted, adding that he was lured to come and pick up an advertisement material for his paper by someone who claimed to be working for Silver Bird Cinema.
Surrounded by his colleagues, Orimolade said he was invited to City Plaza, Abuja where the transaction was to take place and was arrested there by some armed security personnel.
"I was arrested at City Plaza, Abuja. They brought tear gas, and bundled me into a car. Even in the bus, they held me as if I was about to abscond," he said.
Contrary to government’s claim that the security operatives acted on the orders of a Magistrate’s Court, Orimolade said: "We didn’t appear in any Magistrate’s Court".
He threatened to report Otiotio to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Orimolade said the security operatives locked him up with armed robbers in a police cell.
"They locked me up with armed robbers," he said.
Otiotio, who was with other members of the governor’s legal team, had a heated argument with the reporters.
He defended government’s action, claiming that Orimolade reported what was not true about the governor.
Orimolade’s trial could not, however, take place. He was taken away to an unknown destination by the security operatives.
Shedding light on why Orimolade’s arraignment could not hold, Otiotio said it was due to the absence of his lawyer, Femi Falana, and two other suspects still at large.
He said the government is ready to forgo the case if certain steps are taken.
Otiotio, who refused to name the magistrate that ordered Orimolade’s arrest, said neither the government nor the police could order the reporter’s release.
He said only the magistrate has the powers to order the release of Orimolade.
He said the offence against him is bailable, but bail can only be granted after he appeared in court.
"The magistrate ordered his arrest. The offence is bailable. The arraignment could not take place because his lawyer called to say he had transport problems, we should wait till the lawyer comes before he should be charged. We felt we should give respect as a senior colleague," Otiotio said, adding: "The arraignment will go on tomorrow (today) and the charges will be read in the court".
He went on: "He was charged with two others. Since they were not present, it could not go on. We don’t want to suffer him and that is why we want to severe the charges and charge him separately. When the other accused persons are arrested, they will be charged.
"The offence was jointly committed by them but to avoid being kept in court for long, his charges will be severed and he will be charged separately."
Otiotio expressed government’s preparedness to forgive the accused on some conditions.
According to him, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has intervened.
Otiotio said Orimolade was still in the custody of security operatives.
Police spokesman Iniobong Ibokette could not confirm the reporter’s whereabouts.
The Abuja Council of the NUJ has condemned the state government for Orimolade’s plight.
In a statement it issued yesterday by its Chairman, Mr. Timothy Elerewe, reads in part: "We strongly condemn the resort to brigandage in settling purely legal disputes. We also are not fooled by the belated step to frame charges against Mr. Akin Orimolade in a Yenagoa Magistrate’s Court which is outside the province of the ‘locus inquo’ of distant geographical jurisdiction.
"Governor Godwin Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State last year did it with impunity when he caused the police to kidnap Mr. Sam Asowata of the Fresh Facts newspaper from Abuja over alleged unpalatable story. Now, it is Governor Sylva. This is condemnable and we urge all democratic institution and civil society groups to condemn it.
Orimolade was arrested by policemen from Bayelsa in connection with a story in the January 31 edition of National Life where Sylva was said to have been involved in a brawl with a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at an Abuja hotel.
courtesy- the Nation Newspaper
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