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Groups Give EFCC 48 Hours To Unmask, Parade Operative Molested Cab Driver In Edo
By Daniel Dafe
Benin National Congress, Edo Forum of Patriots and Talakawa’s Parliament have condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and inhuman treatment meted on Uyi Daniels, an Edo son and legitimate cab driver who was abducted, tortured and detained unjustly by an officer attached to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Benin Zonal Office over a minor car accident that happened at GRA even when the officer was wrong.
In an unsigned statement, they described the action of the EFCC operative as unprofessional and a primitive act, saying that it is a clear case of injustice, oppression and man’s inhumanity to man which is at variance with Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which states that “every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and accordingly
(A) no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.
They said “the EFCC personnel became a judge in his own case which negates the principle of natural justice (Nemo judex in causa sua) assuming the role of the police, prosecutor and judge.”
“This must be pooh-poohed and never be encouraged in a democratic society.
“It is extremely sardonic that Edo youths are victims of oppression and brutality in the hands of the overzealous and non-native uniform men based on their assumption that we are docile and hospitable to the non natives working in Edo State.
“As responsible human rights cum Socio Cultural Organizations of international repute, we are by this release giving the Economic and Financial Crime Commission 48 hours ultimatum to unmasked and parade the erring Officer before the media, the way they do to suspects in their custody, failure to heed to our demand, we shall mobilize our members vertically and horizontally for a peaceful protest to occupy their office to express our resentment in no uncertain terms that we cannot be treated as slaves in our land.”
Adding: “We can no longer fold our arms akimbo to watch officers from other states oppressing, intimidating and infringing on the human rights of Edo people.
“A stitch in time, saves nine.”