Otamere Gladness 
Dr Ernest Nwoke, and Collins Aigbogun
BENIN CITY, Nigeria – The Foundation for Human Rights Protection has warned the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo against charging his former Senior Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation, Collins Aigbogun, and a Senior Lecturer, Ambrose Alli University, Dr. Ernest Nwoke of murder, kidnapping and armed robbery.
This is following the governor’s renewed push to have the duo and three others, who he believed organised the anti-kidnapping protest, remain in custody indefinitely; a move the group says was aimed at weakening perceived threat to his administration.
In a statement Sunday, the President of the group, Dr. Henry Faluyi, said although the five suspects were initially released by Justice Rita Irele-Ifijeh of the High Court of Justice, Benin, following their earlier remand that lasted about three weeks, the governor has increased their previous charges of organising violent protest to murder, kidnapping and armed robbery, knowing these charges will put them back in jail indefinitely.
He said, “On mere suspicion that Aigbogun may work against some of his candidates come 2027, the governor decided to arrest him, strip him of his position, and has now proceeded to charge him for murder, armed robbery and kidnapping.
“In the same vein, Dr. Nwoke, who is a Specialist Clinical Physiologist registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria was also charged with the same trumped-up offenses because he identified with the protesters while on his early morning exercise on the day of the protest.
“The brief interview Dr. Nwoke had with some bloggers which called for better security in Ekpoma is what the governor is using against him. This is cruel and should be condemned by well-meaning Nigerians.
Faluyi therefore called on the High Court Judge, Ubiaja, Justice Justice Ikwuemosi Awawu Dika, who is believed to hear the case tomorrow, not to succumb to directives by the governor to imprison the suspects over what he described as politically motivated persecution.
“Justice Dika must prove tomorrow that the judiciary is independent. She should throw out the charges as they lack merit,” he added.
In a document seen by Africa Health Report, the state government, through the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, claimed that Dr. Nwoke, Aigbogun and others aided the armed robbery and the recent kidnapping of Ekpoma residents, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 64 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.
It said the suspects “did commit murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 247 of the Criminal Law of Edo State Law, 2022.”
Within the last one-year, multiple reports have shown that about 65 persons have been kidnapped in Ekpoma, including medical doctors and students, with at least 13 said to be killed by the kidnappers
About the Author
Hussaini Ibrahim 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 