By Jonathan Ugbal
The Cross River Command of the Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday evening refused Sunny Mgbe Esq, a counsel to Odey Oyama, access, to discuss with him family members say.
Mr. Oyama, an activist and the Executive Director of the Rainforest Resource and Development Center who served as Chairman of the Cross River Anti-Deforestation Committee, was arrested alongside six others in a gestapo-styled operation on Tuesday morning in Okuni, Ikom Local Government, by the Okuni Area Command of the force.
READ: Police Arrest Activist, Odey Oyama, Six Others In Cross River
A vocal critic of the government and the handling of the deforestation of the State’s forest reserves, Oyama and others were moved to the Ikom division of the force and, on Wednesday afternoon, moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the State command headquarters in Calabar.
READ MORE: JUST IN: Police Moves Activist, Odey Oyama, Others To Calabar
And, upon arrival, several family members and his lawyer who were waiting to see him were only allowed to exchange pleasantries but weren’t allowed to discuss further, with one claiming there was something fishy going on as the septet are yet to be told why they were arrested.
“I met them on arrival, at the car park,” a family member, (name withheld) said. The family member added; “The Area Commander is taking Odey’s case so personal, and barricading everyone from talking with him. So ridiculous!” When pressed whether the lawyer had any discussion with Mr. Oyama, the family member stated that; “He saw him, but the policeman didn’t allow them (to) talk.”
CrossRiverWatch had on Wednesday reached out to the Command’s spokesperson for comment after efforts to reach the Area Commander in charge of Okuni Area Command, ACP Franklin Akalaonu, failed as calls to his line did not connect.
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