22 August 2019
Following the arrest of Journalist Agba Jalingo by officers of the Nigerian Police at his residence in Lagos, popular human rights lawyer First Baba Isa FBI has made startling revelations surrounding the incidents that characterised his arrest yesterday. FBI made these revelations in a thread titled 'Because'. Written in the form of poetry, it's a 13 paragraph social thread. The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th paragraphs are troubling.
'Because…
'In Nigeria arrest is used as a punishment, arrest is used to disgrace citizens, arrest is used to show that "I pass my neighbor", arrest is used to flex both political and economic muscles.
'Because…
'Agba Jalingo wrote about the grand corruption in the Cross River State microfinance bank, they invited him for questioning on the 19th of August, 2019, Agba requested for a shift to the 26th of August, 2019, the police agreed and even shifted the date to the 3rd of September, 2019… Then they stormed his house on Thursday, the 22nd of August, 2019 in Lagos to bundle him in kidnappers-style, right before his wife and folks.
'Because…
'You must praise the Governor and his government if not you will be declared an enemy of the state, only those who sing the praises of the government are recognized as lovers of the state.
'Okay, Agba Jalingo said, you have arrested me, let's fly to Calabar, they said no. We must use road. We must leave 3am in the night. Agba Jalingo said "I will pay for the flight." They said no, we must use road.
'Because…
'This arrest is just to make you suffer, it's just to prove a point to you that the governor is more powerful than you are. Agba Jalingo said "I already know that he is more powerful, I have written about that too… Let's fly to Calabar." They say no. We must use road.
'Because…
'They want to arrive Calabar late on Friday, so that it will be too late to go to court, so that they can remand him in police cell till Monday. That's the victory they want: to lock him up all through the weekend. And I say they are small minded indeed. Any one who sees a victory in locking up a critic for a few days is indeed a coward and small minded person.
'Did they still move 3am this morning? Where is Agba Jalingo? Did they move and they have been kidnapped? Will he be declared dead by car crash later? We don't know. We can't reach Agba Jalingo. We can only pray they bring him to Calabar safely so that we can defend him in court.
'As for you, dear reader, don't worry. Keep keeping quiet. We know why.
'Because…
'Your blog is now payrolled by the government, because you are looking for appointment, because there is food in your mouth…
'Tomorrow is very near. The dragon you ignore today will consume you tomorrow. Remember that once upon a time, in the recent past, Agba Jalingo was the Governor's friend. But don't worry, I will be here for you too, to issue a statement, to offer you my wig and gown.
'Because…
'I was here for Ifere Paul, for Joseph Odok, for Inyali Peter (who works for the governor now), and many others.
'Because…
'This is what I do: speak against injustice and human rights violation. I can't help it.
'Let nothing happen to Agba Jalingo. Let nothing happen to him. Bring him safely to Calabar. Let him have his day in court. And those who think this arrest can silence him don't really don't him.'
#FreeAgbaJalingo
