Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Nigeria Police have arrested committee members of United Nations Organisation (UNO) state of Cameroon for holding a sensitization UN workshop at Gembu, Taraba state. The arrests were made Saturday, when 14 committee members, were about to commence sensitization of citizens at the stadium by 10.50am. UN Workshop Coordinator, Prof. Martin Ateh, who is also chairman of the steering committee had already sent “special authorization letter to 19-member committee to organise a sensitization UN workshop in Gembu last Saturday. According to him, the sensitization is on the brief history of UNO state of Cameroon in the last century.
Prof. Ateh in the letter said the workshops are being held in Michika, Mubi, Ganye, Gwoza and Serti in Borno, Adamawa and Taraba states. He said a copy of the authorization letter; was also sent to the Secretary General of UN, Antonio Guterres. “The arrests of committee members are illegal in the UNO state of Cameroon,” said Prof. Ateh, when he was informed in Bamenda of their detention for eight hours at police station. Despite this, the armed police led by the Division Police Officer (DPO) said that the holding of workshop in the stadium is “illegal without any authorization to hold such assembling of people in Gembu.” On reaching the police station along with arrested committee members, they pleaded to hold the workshop. The DPO bluntly refused to heed pleas. Instead, he failed to grant permit for the workshop, after paying N10, 000 fees for the stadium.
Augustine Sah, one of the committee members, Hassan Falack and Jauro Jugari further pleaded for the release of UNO state of Cameroon committee members by police. When Sah, Falack and Jugari further pleaded, since holding the workshop is legal, they asked for a bail for the detained committee members. Consequently, they were granted bail by 6pm Saturday and to report today (Monday) at police the station.
