IMO: Governor Uzodinma Signs Law Empowering Him To Arrest, Detain Residents As He Wishes

Imo State Government has passed the Administration of Criminal Justice Law which gives Governor Hope Uzodinma the power to order detention of anyone for as long as he wishes without any reason whatsoever.

According to the documents, the Imo State Administration Of Criminal Justice Law No 2 of 2020 (ISACJL, 2020) was personally signed by Governor Uzodinma on March 11, 2020.

The law states that any person detained on the orders of the governor can only be released when he grants a license to the said individual.

It also abolished all forms of preliminary inquiry or preliminary investigation into a criminal charge by a magistrate or any court in the state and replaced them with preparation of proof of evidence.

“Chapter 38 (section 484 to 485) deals with detention during governor’s pleasure.

“Section 484 of the ISACJL, 2020 provides that where any person is ordered to be detained during the governor’s pleasure, he shall notwithstanding anything in the ISACJL, 2020 or contained in any other written law liable to be detained in such place and under such conditions as the governor may direct and whilst so detained shall be in proper custody.

“Section 485(1) of ISACJL, 2020 enacts that a person detained during the governor’s pleasure may at any time be discharged by the governor on license which said license may be in such form and in such conditions as the governor may direct under section 485(2).

“Finally, in section 485(3) of the ISACJL, 2020 a license may at any time be revoked or varied by the governor and where license has been revoked, the person to whom the person the license relates shall proceed to such place as the governor may direct and if he fails to do so, may be arrested without warrant and taken to such place.”

Policy analysts have condemned the law, stating that it sets a bad precedence and contradicts the constitution of the Federal Republic.

The law is believed to be targeted at vocal opposition voices and activists in the state who have been tormented in several ways since the inception of Uzodinma administration.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has signedva new law which stipulates surgical castration and removal of Fallopian tubes for any male or female found guilty of rape in the state.