Two men secretly arraigned before Lokoja Magistrates Court for staging anti-Buhari protest

SECURITY officials in Kogi State have covertly arrested two men for protesting against President Muhammadu Buhari and secretly arraigned before a magistrates’ court in the state capital Lokojal.

Anene Victor and Emmanuel Larry,  were picked up after they were seen in a viral video on Monday holding Buhari Must Go posters, protesting against the policies of the current administration. After taking to the streets to protest, the two were then flogged by youths loyal to the government.

Their lawyer, Benjamin Omeiza, said his clients were arraigned on Tuesday before the Magistrates’ Court in Lokoja, popularly called Lugard Court, on charges bordering on treasonable felony and inciting public unrest. He added that the magistrate had signed a remand order in his office owing to the nationwide strike by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria.

Mr Omeiza said: “One of the police officers at the A Division reliably informed me that they were taken and arraigned before a magistrate in his office who signed a remand warrant. At a time when the judiciary is on strike, a magistrate is entertaining a case he has no jurisdiction over and then remanding suspects over a bailable allegation.

“I registered my grievances before her and she confirmed that they were remanded on Tuesday.”  According to Mr Omeiza, he tried to get in contact with the Kogi State commissioner of police but was later directed to see the officer in charge of the legal department at the command headquarters.