#BringBackOurGirls: Oby Ezekwesili Speaks After Release from Police Detention

#BringBackOurGirls: Oby Ezekwesili Speaks After Release from Police Detention

The convener of the BringBackOurGirls group, Oby Ezekwesili, was arrested and detained today by the FCT Police Command for unknown offences.

In series of posts on her Twitter handle, @obyezeks, the former Minister of Education, said she was arrested alongside some members of the BBOG group.

According to her, Aisha Yesufu, Ms Maureen Kabrik, Jeff Okoroafor and four others were also arrested.

Reacting to the reported arrest, The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, in a statement via its Twitter page, demanded the immediate release of those arrested.

SERAP tweeted,

“The reported false imprisonment & detention of @obyezeks & members of @BBOG_Nigeria makes a mockery of @MBuhari’s claim that this govt is one of change that is governed by d rule of law. The authorities should immediately release them & allow them to freely exercise their rights.”

The Abuja Police command has now released the former Minister of Education and convener of the BringBackOurGirls group.

Mrs. Ezekwesiki said the police refused to tell her and seven members of her group the reason they were arrested Tuesday in Abuja.

Mrs. Ezekwesili was arrested and detained by the police in Abuja earlier on Tuesday.

Her arrest, however, was believed to be connected to the activities of the group.

The group has been carrying out sit-outs in Abuja since more than 200 girls were abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in April 2014 by Boko Haram insurgents.

Mr. Ezekwesili’s BBOG group has sustained its advocacy for the safe return of the girls to their families for more than three years.

She said Aisha Yesufu, a known critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and six others, were also arrested.

In a series of tweets after her release, the former minister said the Abuja commissoner of police, Sadiq Abubakar Bello, who ordered their release did not state why they were detained.

“Without stating the reason for our arrest and detention, Commissioner of Police at the FCT Command, CP Bello has asked us to be let out of their station,” she tweeted.

“We insisted on a formal charge and release but his response? “I am the commissioner and now release you to go.”