ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Friday, February 26, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr Joseph Odok

Mr Joseph Odok

Police arrest another critic of Gov. Ayade, accuse him of ‘terrorism’

byCletus Ukpong
September 30, 2019
2 min read

The police have arrested a Nigerian lawyer, Joseph Odok, over allegation of ‘terrorism’.

He has been in police detention in Calabar, Cross River State, South-South Nigeria, for four days now.

Mr Odok, a native of the state, is an avowed critic of Governor Ben Ayade.

He was arrested by two police officers on Thursday in Abuja and taken to Calabar by road, his wife, Cecelia, told PREMIUM TIMES, Sunday evening.

“The police said they have been trailing him for about two weeks; they have been tracking his phone line,” she said.

She said Mr Ayade was behind her husband’s arrest and detention. “Somebody warned my husband on Facebook that they will soon give him the same treatment they are giving to Agba Jalingo,” she said.

Mr Jalingo, a journalist and publisher of CrossRiverWatch, an online newspaper with focus on Cross River State, is in prison in Calabar, charged with treason, over a report about an alleged diversion of N500 million by the Cross River governor.

“They (Cross River government) have a hand in my husband’s arrest,” Mrs Odok insisted.

Mr Odok’s counsel, Oliver Osang, corroborated the claim made by the wife to the detained lawyer.

RelatedNews

Controversy as security operatives ‘attempt to arrest’ Sunday Igboho

Lagos govt moves to free woman jailed six years without trial

VIDEO: How bandits terrorised Kagara for years before students abduction

317 schoolgirls abducted in Jangebe attack – Official

“From the way the police put it, it is coming from the government of Cross River State,” Mr Osang said of his client’s arrest.

“As at yesterday (Saturday) when I was at the police station, they said it is terrorism. It’s frivolous. You know, they want to look for anything possible to charge him,” he told PREMIUM TIMES, Sunday evening.

“They are yet to provide any evidence. He was still writing his statement at the police station.”

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Mr Odok fled Cross River State two years ago after an attempt was made on his life, and has been in Abuja.

His lawyer said the police were yet to state whether the ‘terrorism’ he is accused of took place in Calabar or Abuja.

Dennis Ibe, an inspector of police who is investigating Mr Odok’s case, declined to comment on the case when PREMIUM TIMES contacted him.

Mr Odok’s Facebook page is contains critical remarks on Mr Ayade.

READ ALSO: Police arrest three ‘clerics’ for alleged fraud, rape

In one of his posts on the social media site in September, the lawyer described the governor as a “joker”.

“Ayade keep getting it wrong with lofty projects. Why talk of Spaghetti flyover when you have not maintained or completed a single road project from your first administration.

ADVERTISEMENT

“A man that can’t complete a single road keeps talking Super High Way, Deep Sea Port and now Spaghetti flyover. This joke is getting out of hands,” he wrote on Facebook.

Mr Ayade’s spokesperson, Christian Ita, denied the governor’s involvement in the arrest and detention of Mr Odok.

“It’s wrong for people to describe as the governor’s critic, anyone arrested by the police. The governor does not know anything about his arrest, the police are in a better position to tell you why they have arrested him,” Mr Ita told PREMIUM TIMES.

Paul Ifere, another critic of Mr Ayade’s administration who was similarly arrested and detained last year by the police for criticising Mr Ayade, condemned the incarceration of Mr Odok.

Mr Ifere said the governor was clamping down on his critics because of his intolerance to criticisms and opposing views.

“If you criticise Ayade, he will come after you, that’s what he has been doing,” Mr Ifere said.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (12)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Police rescue 19 pregnant girls, four children from Lagos ‘baby factories’

Next Post

Sowore arraigned; takes plea

Cletus Ukpong

Cletus Ukpong

Cletus Ukpong is PREMIUM TIMES' assistant editor in charge of Nigeria's South-South region. He is a graduate of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Twitter: @CletusUkpong

More News

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

FG seeks asset manager for N1 trn infrastructure company

February 26, 2021
Sunday Igboho arrives Ogun heavily guarded

Controversy as security operatives ‘attempt to arrest’ Sunday Igboho

February 26, 2021
Adamu Abdu-Kafarati

Federal High Court mourns ex-Chief Judge

February 26, 2021
Solar Panel [Photo Credit: SlashGear]

Nigerians to pay N144,000 for solar panels govt plans for 5m homes

February 26, 2021
Nigeria Police officers

317 schoolgirls abducted in Jangebe attack – Official

February 26, 2021
President Muhammadu Buhari

Insecurity: Ganduje’s aide says APC has failed Nigerians

February 26, 2021
Next Post
Omoyele Sowore

Sowore arraigned; takes plea

Medicine store

PCN seals off 332 pharmacies, patent medicine shops in Jigawa

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,625,365 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.