A Facebook user, Amina Bello Ohunene has cried out on social media over the whereabouts of her husband, Luqman Abbass Oricha since he was whisked away from their home five months ago by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Ohunene in a long emotional statement, said her husband who is the President of Ebira Youth Congress (EYC) in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, was picked up by the DSS who told them they were taking him for questioning in Abuja.
She wrote:
In the stillness of a Friday morning, at exactly 3:30 AM, I was called and informed that my dear husband, Luqman Abbass Oricha, the Ebira Youth Congress (EYC) President of Ajaokuta, Kogi State was forcefully taken from our home by unidentified men of the Department of State Services (DSS), led by one Mr. Jonathan Shagi, the then Divisional Head of the DSS office in Ajaokuta, Kogi State. They told my co-wife, who was with my husband, that they were taking him to Abuja for questioning and that we would hear from them in three days.
That morning, I was shattered, shaken, and confused. It happened close to my exams and took a serious toll on me, physically and mentally. But I took solace in my faith in Allah and desperately looked forward to hearing from them. However, three days became three weeks. Three weeks became three months. And now, over five months have passed, and we still have no access to him, no formal charge, no trial, and no explanation. We don’t even know for certain where he is being held and how he is doing, as he was battling ill health at the time of his arrest.
We have repeatedly visited the DSS offices in Lokoja and Abuja, to no avail. We and our lawyers were neither allowed into their offices, especially the one in Abuja, nor afforded the opportunity to be heard. I have since been in and out of school in an effort to secure my husband’s release which has continued to affect my focus, performance and general wellbeing. We have pleaded with community leaders and political representatives but have seen no concrete action.
My name is Amina Bello Ohunene, and I am Luqman’s wife. I am a student, and together with my co-wife, Raheemah Salawu Avosuahi, who is raising four young children, we continue to shoulder the heavy burden of his absence. We speak for ourselves, our children, family and the Ajaokuta community he serves. My husband is not just a family man, he is a leader, a voice of truth, a man of integrity, and a servant of the people. He has been a pillar in Ajaokuta, Kogi state and known for advocating for justice and standing up for the weak.
We believe my husband is innocent as he has not committed any crime before. If Luqman, in his capacity as the EYC President or otherwise, is suspected of any crime or wrongdoing, he should be arraigned before a court, at the very least. Investigation cannot go on endlessly for over five months without any end in sight. A man should not be arrested without disclosing his whereabouts or allowing his family and legal representatives access to him. That is not only unjust to him, his wife, children, family and community, it is unconstitutional and inhumane.
We humbly and passionately appeal to our distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, our respected Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulraheem Sanni Egidi, esteemed people of Ebira land and the great people of Nigeria to hear our cry and prevail on the DSS to arraign Luqman Abbas before a court if he is suspected of any crime or release him unconditionally.
May God bless you all.
With hope and broken hearts,
Amina Bello Ohunene##
