Executive Order Is Keeping Cleric In Detention, Says Church

The Abakaliki Catholic Diocese has blamed the continuous detention of one of its priests, Fr. Timothy Ngwuta, on an Executive Order preventing any court from hearing matters relating to the Effium/Ezza-Effium crisis.

The Church urged the people to pray that God touch those responsible for the cleric’s continued incarceration to listen to the voice of right conscience.

A statement by Chancellor of the Diocese, Fr. Mathew Opoke, said Fr. Ngwuta was arrested on December 11, 2021, at Mbeke, Ishieke, in Ebonyi Local Government Area, where he had gone to help his friend, Jude Ariom, retrieve his  car.

The statement reads: “On Saturday, December 11, 2021, Fr. Timothy Ngwuta was arrested by the police at Mbeke Ishieke, Ebonyi Local Government Area, where he went to help his friend, Jude Ariom, retrieve a vehicle that was parked there.

“Before Fr. Ngwuta arrived at Mbeke, he obtained a clearance from the police to move the vehicle whose tyres were deflated. The police at Mbeke granted him permission after he had paid their bill for guarding the car for two weeks.

“In the course of inflating the tyres, the local vigilance swooped on him and his companions, demanding further settlements, but Fr. Timothy told them the money with the police was meant to take care of them as well.

“After a while, another set of local vigilance group arrived, leading to some altercations between the two groups. Fr. Timothy and those who came to help him were arrested by the local vigilance, and handed over to the same police who had earlier cleared him to move the vehicle.

“He was transferred to the police headquarters in Abakaliki, where he was tortured and detained for 12 twelve days. He was later released on bail on December 23, 2021, when his health began to fail, but told to report to the station weekly…

“Fr. Ngwuta was however re-arrested in March 2022, and arraigned on allegations of involvement in the kidnap and murder of five construction workers in the area last year, attack on and murder of police officers, aiding escape, arson, promoting inter-communal war, etc.

“The church is worried as to how going to recover a car has metamorphosed into such accusations as contained in the charges against him. Fr. Ngwuta vehemently denies all the charges and sees himself as a victim of circumstances.”

“We urge security agencies to do a thorough investigation and ensure justice is served.

“Efforts to secure his release on bail have been hampered by the Executive Order preventing any court from entertaining matters relating to the Effium crisis. Recently, the motion for bail was refused on the April 12.

“We implore all people of goowill to join us in praying God to touch those responsible for the incarceration of Fr. Ngwuta to listen to the voice of right conscience.”

But the government has denied issuing any Executive Order stopping the judiciary from entertaining matters relating to the Effium crisis.

The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Cletus Ofoke, said: “There is nothing like Executive Order on the Effium crisis. Government can never issue an order stopping the court from doing its legitimate duty. There is nothing like that.”

Commissioner for Information Uchenna Orji also said Fr. Ngwuta is being tried for alleged conspiracy to promote communal war, and only the court will decide whether he is guilty or not.

Orji said: “We have refrained from joining issues because of our respect for the institution the cleric belongs to.

“While we view it as unfortunate that the Rev Fr. could be involved in a suspicious conduct that led to his detention and prosecution, we wish to place on record that Governor David Umahi has no hands whatsoever in the matter; it is purely a serious security concern handled by the community and the security operatives.”