The Nigeria police have released the former Head of New Media for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Convener of pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nigerians, Prince Deji Adeyanju and his co-detainee, Brian Jonah Dennis who were picked by the security operatives earlier this morning for staging a peaceful protest against the federal government’s insistence that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu be tried secretly.
Adeyanju, who, shortly after his release, spoke with Vanguard, said that he was arrested by the police and threatened again but he told them that he was not going to stop the peaceful protests against injustice and breaking of the constitution.
“Released. I have told them that the protests will continue. We will not STOP and we will not be cowed.” “We will announce a new date for the #SayNoToSecretTrial. On Monday we will do #FreeAustinOkai and #FreeKemiOlunloyo.”
Adeyanju however thanked all those who voiced out for his release. Recall that a short while after his arrest, several activists and a coalition of human right groups under the Movement for the Advancement of National Transformation (MANTRA), called for his immediate release.
The Convener of MANTRA, Comrade Jude Ndukwe had equally ordered for his release failure of which it promised legal actions against the Nigerian police.
Recall also that Prince Adeyanju had, yesterday, alleged that he received life threats from the security operatives comprising the Police, the army and the men of the Department of State Security Services, DSS after he was invited and persuaded to step-down the planned peaceful protest against the federal government’s insistence of a secret trial for the Biafran group leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
According to him, “Just got out of a 1-hour meeting with Commissioner of Police of FCT. In attendance was a Director of DSS and Brigade Commander of the Army. “They said there’s security concerns over our rallies: #SayNoToSecretTrial of Nnamdi Kanu #FreeZakZakky “I asked what concern: No Answer. “Then threats and more threats. “I told them, rally will go on as planned tomorrow for #SayNoToSecretTrial and #FreeZakZakky on Wednesday.
“Then threats and more threats. “The DSS guy said: Deji, we have never disturbed you in all your rallies. Why ZakZakky and Kanu “They have a major issue with ZakZakky & Kanu.” Recall also that the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other pro-Biafra supporters have been detained since October 14, 2015, by the DSS over alleged treasonable felony and illegal association preferred against them by the federal government.
Although the later charge was later struck out by the court wherein IPOB or Biafra was declared not an illegal association and Mr. Kanu and other detainees granted bail by various courts, the federal government has continued to detain them. Consequently, the group who, in a statement signed by both its Convener, Prince Deji Adeyanju and its Secretary, Dr. John Danfulani, had given reasons for the planned peaceful protest, saying it became necessary to stage it because, such secret trial as being pushed by the federal government does not serve the interest of the course of justice.”