HOW POLICE LOCKED ME UP FOR 4 DAYS WITHOUT FOOD OVER MY FACEBOOK POST
-NIGERIAN MAN
A Nigerian Writer and Human right activist, Daniel Enahoro has Narrated how Nigerian Police Locked him up for 4 days without food because of his Facebook post which they claimed to have threatened someone’s Life.
His Story:
I received a call from a strange number. The caller claimed to be a journalist from The Sun news. I was all over the internet. They wanted to publish my story, give it audience. Just what I wanted, to let the world know.
I jumped at the offer. I was easily predictable. I didn’t even think it through before I met up with the caller at the agreed location. Turned out to be a police man. I was wanted, arrested. My offense? I didn’t know then, still don’t know now.
I was locked up in a dark cell for four days without communication or food. They took my phone from me. Said I was famous on Facebook and shouldn’t be allowed any access. Wasn’t allowed to call anyone. Wrote my statement, then thrown in.
I Only drank water from the tap in the cell bathroom. I was beaten by fellow inmates. After four days, I got out, thanks to social media trend and BBI (Gwamnishu Emefiena Harrison). I would later find out that I was being hunted for my Facebook posts that someone interpreted to have threatened him.
The first claim was ‘threat to life’. I was arraigned in court the next week. Ended up in remand and stayed a week in the medium security prison. It was hell, especially when some of the wardens found out I was an atheist and had been bashing religion. They ‘fixed’ me in a special prison for my fuck ups to be treated. Was forced to pray and sing thrice a day. I played along through it all.
Then during court proceedings, they changed their charge. Said it wasn’t really threat to life, it was something something section 407 of the criminal code that carries a fourteen years jail term. That I had made demand using threats. I didn’t even have an idea of this claim.
They peddled lies and people who barely knew me from Adam helped make their lies trend. Some claimed that I sent messages to university staff via WhatsApp, threatening them. Others said I was a cultist. There wasn’t anything they didn’t say.
When I finally, after paying series of per-time lawyers, and waiting on Facebook lawyers who promised to handle the case pro bono, I got a lawyer through Francis Saint Paul connect and paid her with the help of ASN. Then, I could have access to some copies of the charge sheet and read the claims myself to further grasp what they say my offense really was.
That I made a demand for my grades to be upgraded, threatening to cause harm if it’s not. And the only evidence to support their claim are my Facebook posts that are always set on public for audience both on and off my list to read.
I was gobsmacked. Laughable and ridiculous as the charge was, I was being tried for felony, and for two years now, I have been in and out of courts, been unstable, been skeptic, been expelled after five years of the Nigerian university difficulties, especially of a professional course as engineering. I had done my project and rounded off all my courses.
My CGPA was sitting pretty at 3.44 in finals. I carved a niche for myself. I was a promising young man with dreams and aspirations and they cut it short; stole my five years from me because I dared ask questions, because I dared expose ills that needs to be addressed; ills even they won’t want their children experience.
All I wanted was an education. It was all I sought. All I did was channel my complains and grievances to a minuscule audience on social media, for willing hands and listening ears to weigh in on the issue. All I did was ask questions and lament the decadence in the Nigerian education system, and this had earned me big enemies from persons complicit to the crimes of these complains I made, and so I am being tried for all manner of lies and falsities.
Still going to court.