Prominent Yoruba diaspora socio-cultural organisation, Oodua Progressive Union, has faulted the prolonged detention of popular online presenter and activist, Adegbola Abdulazeez, also known as Talọlọrun, by the Kwara State Police Command.
In a statement on Thursday, the diaspora organisation said the police had trampled upon the rights of the activist.
In the statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Victor Mobolaji Adewale, the OPU said the issue over which the activist was arrested in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and taken to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for trial showed that there is more to the detention of the online presenter, who was alleged to have insulted the Emir of Ilorin and causing public disturbance.
The Yoruba diaspora socio-cultural organisation, appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara State to intervene and ensure that Talolorun is released.
The statement said: “Talolorun was arrested in Ibadan on August 16 in Ibadan and taken to Ilorin for trial. It is unconstitutional.
“In Nigerian law, if someone is arrested in Ibadan as the case may be, he or she is supposed to be tried in the same Ibadan, the place where the crime was committed.
“For any suspect to be arrested in a place and taken to another state when it is not a civil case to be handled by a Federal High Court is illegal. We must not set a bad presence in this country because of religion.
“The arrest and prolonged detention of the online presenter is an infringement of his right as a Nigerian citizen.
“For instance, his case was reference to a content of sedition, a law that had been abolished by the civilian government.”
OPU restated the need to give a fair hearing to the online presenter, describing the detention of the activist as an act capable of causing religious crisis.
READ ALSO:
Woman IPO arrests, detains wife for leaving abusive marriage
Osimhen battles Messi, Mbappe, Haaland for FIFA Best Award + Full list
Eve’s Desire: Mutual masturbation and its benefits in a relationship, by Tiwa Says
The Yoruba diaspora organisation also berated the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ebun Adelesi, for being biased and also abetting religious bigots to trample upon the rights of the detained online presenter.
Meanwhile the OPU Publicity scribe alleged that the activist was arrested for offences he didn’t commit but on trump up charges that are also based on religious pettiness and intolerance.
The statement added: “Detaining a citizen for 30 days without trial is nothing but an illegal detention.
“It is unconstitutional because it is an infringement on his rights to freedom.
“Talolorun was alleged to have committed offences ranging from defamation of character and causing public disturbance. All the offences have their punishments under the law.
“From the viral video of his arrest in the public domain, it is a calculated attempt to paint the activist as a common criminal. That is cruel and inhumane.
“As a Yoruba diaspora organization presently in 97 countries across the world, we believe that the secularity of the Nigerian nation must be respected at all times, especially between religious leaders.
“All over the world, issue of religion is a thing of the mind and it is also secondary. Any society that fails to understand the diversity of humanity on issue of religion will continue to experience protracted religious crisis as we experience daily in Nigeria.
“Arrest and detention of a person because of his or her religious belief is nothing but pure religious chauvinism and intolerance. And it is bad for a country like Nigeria.
“So, we are appealing to the Kwara state governor to intervene and ensure that those detained are released for them to enjoy their rights to freedom.”