BY OHUIZU CHUKWUEBUKA/UMUAHIA
Former Vice Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Aba Branch, Victor Onweremmadu (Esq) has raised the alarm over an alleged move by the police to arrest him.
The plot came to the fore yesterday evening when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Abayi Police Division, Aba (World Bank Police Station), Abia State came with a heavily armed police squad to pick him up.
In a move that created a scene in Onweremmadu’s office located at Okigwe Road, Aba, saw the lawyer escaping an arrest by whisker.
Onweremmadu told our correspondent that the actions of the DPO is linked with the case he recently won for Shoemakers Industrial Union of Umuehilegbu Industrial Market against Abia State government.
He said that for 13 years the shoemakers have been in court against the Abia State government and Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area for dissolving the union board of trustees, sacking all the union executives and appointing government agents who took over the union’s office and running the affairs of the union.
The lawyer who is currently a member of the General Council of the Bar (GCB) representing NBA explained that on the 15th of May 2019, the Abia State High Court gave judgement against the Abia State government and Osisioma Local Government Area and declared all their actions null and void.
He said that the court ordered that government agents who then occupied the union office should vacate the office immediately and the union should take over the office and conduct the election.
According to him, the Abia State government refused to obey the court order, even when the execution of the judgement was carried out, the government and their agents used the police and re-entered the took over the union’s office.
He said that the government applied to set outside the execution alleging wrongful execution, but on the 17 of February 2020, the court agreed with his clients and dismissed the government’s application.
According to him, “The Abia state government then filed a motion in the Abia State High Court asking the court to set aside its judgement against it, the Osisioma Ngwa LGA and their agents delivered on 15 May 2019.
“They argued that it’s only the National Industrial Court that has the jurisdiction as the case deals with trade union dispute. But on the 15 of March 2023, the court again agreed with our submission and dismissed their motion and hammered the final nails to their coffin,” he said.
Following their court victory, the shoemakers on the 9th of May 2023, elected their executive officials and swore them in for the first time in more than 13 good years, the Abayi Police Division’s DPO said to be acting under the instructions of Abia State Police Commissioner, CP Bala Mohammed, moved to arrest Onweremmadu.
Explaining the situation, Onweremmadu said, “I’m seriously under threat of arrest by the commissioner of police through the DPO world bank police station Abayi Aba Abia state.
“I just came back today from Abuja where I attended the GCB meeting. I was in my office this evening when the DPO World Bank Police Station, Aba called me informing me that the commissioner of police Abia state has directed that I bring my clients, the shoemakers Industrial Union to Umuahia tomorrow morning for an interface with him.
“This is a matter I did for 13 good years wherein we won Abia state government and Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area in respect of the union leadership and the union office block which the court ordered and execution levied.
“The police ordered that my client vacate the office block and my client refused insisting that only the court can eject them. Now I told the DPO that I’m going to the Court of Appeal tomorrow and maybe indisposed to see the commissioner in the morning.
“I asked for another date of Friday, but he insisted that I come or send my Junior Counsel. Surprisingly the DPO stormed my office this evening with Hilux filled with armed police officers to arrest me, they virtually forced themselves inside my office but couldn’t get me.
“I’m at crossroads here. I’m not a party in the suit, I’m just a lawyer that got judgement for my client, why are the police hunting for me? What offence have I committed? I want the whole world to be away that my life and freedom are under attack. Nigerian citizens must be free. Rule of law must prevail over impunity.”
Efforts to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer, Godfrey Ogbonna, were not fruitful as he declined to pick my phone calls for comment.
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