Over a hundred Igbo women who protested naked over their dead or missing children in Imo Stateare being held in filthy cells in Imo State, the Journalists for Democratic Rights, (JODER) said in a statement in Friday. JODER said the women are being held by the police amidst frivolous charges being filed against them.
The police have tagged them terrorists and felons even though they only protested with roses, shrubberies, plants and pamphlets, the group said.
Efforts to confirm the position of the women with the police is not successful at press time, but we continue to seek police response.
“The women are in very difficult situations. The Imo state government in collaboration with the Federal Government is keeping the women away from their relatives and lawyers. They have been tortured. About 50 of them are ill and their health is deteriorating,” the statement signed by Adewale Adeoye, Executive Director of JODER stated.
At the heart of the issue in the South East is the principle of self-determination which is prominently embodied in Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations which states that people have the right to determine their own political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
The rights group said the women were hauled into detention by the Nigerian police even in their half-naked form. It also said some about 10 of the women have not been allowed to change their sanitary pads and were left to soak in blood by the Nigerian authorities.
“We call for the unconditional release of these innocent Igbo women. They are being charged for felony. 80 of them are between the ages of 20 and 45. The remaining 20 are mothers and grandmothers. Their only office was that they protested to know the whereabouts of their children. The missing or dead children were members of the Igbo self-determination groups that organized peaceful protests in 2016”
JODER said the continuous detention of the women constitutes barbaric violations of their right to free speech and lawful assembly as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.
Here are the names of the women from Imo State who are being detained at Owerri Federal Prison, Nigeria, for protesting the whereabouts of their leaders since August 17, 2018:
- Afoma Umoh Wisdom (64yrs)
- Virginia Akwufube (62yrs)
- Ezike Emmanuela (62yrs)
- Uzoma Oraka (62yrs)
- Charity Obioha (60yrs)
- Chinyere Nwachukwu (55yrs)
- Udeogu Margret (58yrs)
- Rachel Okengwu (58yrs)
- Angelina Felix (55yrs)
- Monica Anaelechi (54yrs)
- Esther Osuji (52yrs)
- Florence Olewembu (52yrs)
- Nkechi Ekwedisika (52yrs)
- Kosarachukwu Udegbunam (51yrs)
- Josephine Ogolo (51yrs)
- Monica Nwaeleke (50yrs)
- Mabel Okoire (50yrs)
- Chika Njoku (50yrs)
- Grace Nkemakolam (50yrs)
- Paulina Awunezi (50yrs)
- Christiana Muonwuba (50yrs)
- Margret Eze (50yrs)
- Florence Egede (50yrs)
- Rose Osuchukwu (50yrs)
- Comfort Uti (50yrs)
- Nnedinma Onuoha (49yrs)
- Agatha Nwachukwu (49yrs)
- Ijeoma Okorie (30yrs)
- Uloma Ejiogu (30yrs)
- Victoria Jacob (45yrs)
- Vivian Ozuruigbo (30yrs)
- Chinenye Imo (40yrs)
- Chinyere Egbulom (38yrs)
- Cynthia Onyebuchi (31yrs)
- Chigbata Chinyere (38yrs)
- Egesi Josephine (41yrs)
- Hope Eze (45yrs)
- Ikejiofor Amechi (44yrs)
- Nkeiru Ajagba (45yrs)
- Ngozi James (46yrs)
- Nnene Nweke (46yrs)
- Lucy Mary Kanu (21yrs)
- Irole Goodness (30yrs)
- Ogechi Okechukwu (30yrs)
- Tochukwu Eze (38yrs)
- Onyemaechi Ijezie (38yrs)
- Ginika Awuzie (39yrs)
- Vero Nnamani (30yrs)
- Nkwoagu Chinenye (22)
- Ijeoma Victoria Nnadozie (43yrs)
- Blessing Udeme (25yrs)
- Nnewuchi Obiageli (31yrs)
- Ngozi Onyenwugo (22yrs)
- Ruth Onwumere (45yrs)
- Nkeiruka Ohanebo (45yrs)
- Nzube Uwaigwe (22yrs)
- Eberechi Iheanacho (39yrs)
- Ego Nwafor (40yrs)
- Chinyere Eze (32yrs)
- Mary Okorie
- Nnenna Okorie (36yrs)
- Chinyere Eze (43yrs)
- Iwuneme Bibian (45yrs)
- Onuoha Ogechi (no age disclosed)
- Peculiar Nwachukwu (28yrs),
- Ugonne Godwin (45yrs)
- Felicia Ike (42yrs)
- Adaku Inyama (45yrs)
- Ndidi Uchenna (45yrs)
- Nneka Kingsley (38yrs)
- Nkeiru Nwankwo (37yrs)
- Chinwendu David (38yrs)
- Juliet Nwaiwu (42yrs)
- Juliet Onwuka (40yrs)
- Chinyere Nwankwo (25yrs)
- Nkeiru Orji (34yrs)
- Joy Uwabunike (47yrs)
- Nnene Ibeneli (38yrs)
- Jane Isaac (25yrs)
- Kelechi Emmanuel (40yrs)
- Ngozi Nwajiaku (34yrs)
- Ugochi Okwum (32yrs)
- Ifeoma Emmanuel (42yrs)
- Nkeiru Onyegbari (35yrs)
- Eucharia Eke (42yrs)
- Ijeoma Onyedinefu (33yrs)
- Blessing Nnedede (26yrs)
- Iheanyichukwu Ogueri (35yrs)
- Ogochukwu Alaribe (35yrs)
- Uchechukwu Okoro (48yrs)
- Iheomachi Ejiaku (40yrs)
- Uchchukwu Ahamuefula (32yrs)
- Evelyn Usulo (38yrs)
- Joy Chimezie (45yrs)
- Precious Ogbonna (40yrs)
- Obiageli Nwite (48yrs)
- Ginika Ndibe (20yrs)
- Chinelo Ugwueze (38yrs)
- Nwachukwu Blessing (22yrs)
- Rita Edet (29yrs)
- Obiageli Obumsolu (39yrs)
- Kalunwoke Ekemiri (28yrs),
- Nwauwa Cecelia (44yrs),
- Igboka Ngozi,
- Angela Okeke,
- Blessing Aguama,
- Oguchim Chinedu