Oil Communities Slam Arrest of Eno Critic, Demand Justice

Governor Umo Eno

Torrents of condemnations from a coalition of youth groups, civil society and socio-cultural organisations have condemned the arrest Wednesday of one of the fiercest critics of Governor Umo Eno’s style of governace, Princess Godknows Udoito, a lone protester who had been accusing the administration of discrimination in the spread of development projects across the State.

The suspect, our Correspondent learnt, had been invoking curses on the Governor on social media for allegedly neglecting the Ekid land where he (the governor) lived and established businesses in the hospitality industry and other ventures before becoming Governor in 2023.

However, her arrest, according to community stakeholders including the Ekid People’s Union (EPU) led by the National President, Dr. Samuel Udonsak; the Secretary -General, Bassey Dan Abia Jnr; the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman and former minister of Lands Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien, followed her disagreement with the Governor, for alleged seizure of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, without compensation.

Also, calling for her immediate release, the EPU, the Network Advancement Program for Poverty and Disaster Risk Reduction (NAPPDRR) led by it founder and Executive Director, Alhaji Emem Edoho, and other community stakeholders condemned the arrest.

While describing it as an unfair treatment devoid of the due process of law, as according to them, everybody has right to hold opinion on public issues, the leaders called for immediate release of Lady Udoito, for onward prosecution in the law court.

“Princess Godsown Udoito, is a courageous advocate for land rights and environmental justice. Her detention embodies the struggle against oppressive rule and the fight for freedom.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” the group quoted the late Martin Luther king in his advocacy for justice and freedom for human rights.

“We stand with Princess Udoito, shining a light on the injustices surrounding the Stubbs Creek forest Reserves,” they affirmed, and quoted Frantz Fanon’s disposition that – “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it,” to back up their stance.

“We, therefore, strongly demand immediate release of Princess Udoito and arraignment before a court of law for fair trial, if charges exist,” Edoho stressed, citing Article 9, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Section 34, Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to buttressed his position.