Human Rights Activist Raises Alarm Over Threat To His Life, Family

By Patrick Obia

Journalist and human rights activist, Citizen Agba Jalingo has raised continuous threats to his life, family, and staff by state actors and the Nigerian police.

Citizen Jalingo in a public notice said “should anything happen to me or my wife or my daughter or my brother, Utsu Atsu, who stood surety for me from the Police or any of my staff, Nigerians should hold Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, his younger brother, Franko Ayade and the Nigeria Police, responsible.”

He alleged and wonders why the constant monitoring and surveillance of his movement by the Ayades family through the use of the police.

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The notice reads: “I wish to inform the general public that, should anything happen to me or my wife or my daughter or my brother, Utsu Atsu, who stood surety for me from the Police or any of my staff, Nigerians should hold Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, his younger brother, Franko Ayade and the Nigeria Police, responsible.

“If anything, the Police are meant to run after criminals. I, Agba Jalingo, is not a criminal. I can hit my chest confidently and say very loudly that I have no history of association with any form of criminality since I was born. Rather, I have worked at great risk and turmoil, for the betterment of society within this period, when others were living their peaceful lives.

“It’s unfortunate that those who should be arrested for using mercenaries to write exams and corruptly amassing public wealth are the ones using the same Police to haunt an innocent patriot who hasn’t breached any law but just doing his job as a journalist

“The constant security surveillance, trailing, physical and electronic monitoring of my life and that of my wife and staff is not only causing serious disruptions to our work and business, but it is also a worrisome intrusion that a law-abiding family does not deserve.

“I am very confident that these travails will subside in 103 days when this failed administration will share the grace. But let it be on record that, once upon a time, there was an emperor who dangled a sword over my neck.”

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