INCREDIBLE...MAN DETAINED FOR TWO MONTHS IN A NIGERIAN PRISON FOR ALLEGEDLY CRITICIZING HIS STATE GOVERNOR ON FACEBOOK!

Tonye Okio pictured below, allegedly spent his 2013 Christmas holidays in a Bayelsa prison, and is to spend the first days of the year 2014 there. 

Tonye Okio

Going by information obtained, He was detained after he posted a Facebook message criticizing the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, in October, 2013.

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson

Mr. Okio, a businessman, and a former Abuja Liaison officer for Bayelsa state and aide to ex-Bayelsa governor, Timipriye Sylva, was apprehended at his Abuja home on October 26. 

According to report, He was blindfolded and driven to Bayelsa State by the Special Investigation Bureau (SIB). 

Information reveled  that Mr. Okio was stripped of his mobile gadgets, and had the messages about Governor Dickson removed from his Facebook account.

Following his arrest, the Bayelsa Police issued a statement saying that he was arrested for “seditious publications” against the Bayelsa governor.

Mr. Okio was kept in custody for ten days, and his lawyer demanded that his fundamental rights be obeyed and he be charged to court.

On November 5, 2013, it was gathered that Mr. Okio was charged before the Magistrate Court for defamatory publication against the Bayelsa governor. After taking his plea, the Magistrate Court adjourned the case to November 21 for trial. 

On that day, it was reported that the court granted Mr. Okio N5 million bail with one surety in like sum who must be a permanent secretary in the state and resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

Mr. Okio’s lawyer has since reasoned with the court that it would be impossible to satisfy the condition, as the Governor, who is the complainant, must have threatened permanent secretaries in the state. Furthermore, inside sources also hinted that no permanent secretary under the state’s employ dare stand as surety for Mr. Okio.

Although an application was filed at the Nembe Division of the Bayelsa High Court in the state to demand a variation in the bail conditions, the court reportedly fixed three consecutive days for hearing and was unable sit on any of those days.

A ruling on the review of bail application was slated for December but was again adjourned by the presiding judge. On the said date, the judge through the court’s registrar notified counsels that the ruling on the bail review application was not ready, and, therefore, the case was adjourned till January 20.

“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.” ― John F. Kennedy