Abia State Police Command has charged The Sun newspaper Associate Editor, Ebere Wabara, whom they abducted on Friday last week from his Lagos residence and transported to Umuahia, Abia state in handcuffs, to court, with charges of sedition.
Wabara, who is now bed-ridden in a hospital, was handed with a 10-count charge, bordering on seditious publications against Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji.
Also, the police command on Monday got a warrant from the state’s magistrate’s court, in Umuahia against Wabara and The Sun correspondent in Umuahia, Mr. Chuks Onuoha, who stood surety for him.
Policemen from the command had abducted Wabara from his Lagos home last Friday and took him to Umuahia, Abia State capital, in handcuffs. Following the dehumanizing treatment the police meted to him in the more than 30-hour abduction ordeal, Wabara, who was released on bail on Saturday, took ill and was admitted in a private hospital. Owing to ill health, he could not honour the invitation to appear at the state police command headquarters yesterday.
In a suit number U/11/C/ 2014, between the Commissioner of Police and Wabara, the Associate Editor was alleged to have committed sedition with his articles in The Sun and other local media within the period, spanning January to March 2014.
Parts of the charge sheet read thus: “That you Ebere Wabara ‘m’ on the 19th day of February, 2014 at Umuahia in Umuahia North Magisterial District conspired with others, now at large, to commit offence to wit: seditious publication and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code cap 80 Vol. 3 Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.
“That you Ebere Wabara ‘m’ and others now at large, on the 18th day of February 2014 in the aforesaid Magisterial District with intent to bring into hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the person of, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief T.A Orji, did publish a seditious publication entitled: Buffoonery by Mezie Abia Organization in Sun Newspaper of 18th February, 2014 page 22, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 50 (2)(a) punishable under Section 5(1)(c) Cap 80 Vol. 3 Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. 3 Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.
“That you, Ebere Wabara ‘m’ and others now at large, on the 30th day of January 2014 in the aforesaid Magisterial District conspired to commit offence to wit: seditious publication and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. 3 Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.
“That you, Ebere Wabara ‘m’ and others now at large, on the 30th day of January 2014 in the aforesaid Magisterial District with intent to bring hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the person, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief T.A Orji did publish a seditious publication entitled “T.A Orji Self Delusion” in the City Reporter, a daily publication also circulating within Umuahia North Magisterial District and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 50 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 51(1)(c) of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. 3 Laws of Abia State of Nigeria.”
Wabara was also accused of sedition for publishing articles such as: “Demystify a Master Strategy,” “Go to Akwa Ibom, Weep for Abia,” “T.A. Orji’s 7 years Demystification of Kalu,” among others.
Wabara was arraigned in absentia, as he could not honour the police invitation owing to his ill-health, occasioned by the trauma and the treatment he received from policemen, who had stormed his Lagos home at about 6.30am last Friday and abducted him.
The editor was first taken to Sholoki Police Station and later to Oyingbo Police Station, all in Lagos. He was left in the police car for hours, in handcuffs, under the excruciating sun.
Wabara was later taken to Umuahia still with his hands manacled, accompanied by 17 armed policemen. The policemen that abducted him in Lagos arrived Umuahia at 12 midnight, where the editor was clamped into detention without food or the privilege of brushing his teeth or having a change of clothes.
Wabara was said to been allowed to eat by his captor only on Saturday afternoon, for the first time since he was abducted in Lagos on Friday. He was eventually released on bail at 10.15pm on Saturday, following intervention by the Inspector General of police, Mohammed Abubakar.
On his return to Lagos on Sunday, to take a few things he would need for his appointment at the Abia State police headquarters yesterday, Wabara fell ill and was hospitalized.
A letter from the doctor to the Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited granting him sick leave stated:  “This is to certify that Mr. Ebere Wabara of The Sun Publishing Limited, No 2, Coscharis Street, Apapa is on admission and shall be unable to attend his duties for five days from March 31, 2014.”
Despite Wabara’s ill-health, the Abia State Police Command went ahead to charge him to court in absentia. The case was adjourned till April 10, 2014.
Meanwhile, Wabara’s lawyers have written to Abia State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, intimating him of his hospitalization.
In a letter dated March 31, 2014, Chief D. O. Ogbode of Daniel Ogbodo & Associates, stated: “It will be recalled that our client was released on bail on Saturday at 10.15pm following his arrest by police from the state CID Umuahia. He was subsequently instructed to report to the commissioner of police on Monday, March 31st 2014.
“However, we wish to inform you that our client is currently on admission in the hospital due to shock of his arrest and the stress of the journey from Lagos to Umuahia by road, which took toll on his health. In view of the foregoing, we regret to inform you that our client will not be able to keep his appointment with the commissioner of police today (March 31, 2014). However, as responsible and law-abiding citizen of this country, he will honour his invitation to the police as soon as his condition improves.”

The Nigerian Army has announced the commencement of what it called, a major operation to put an end to the activities of all armed men and criminal gangs who have been engaging in wanton killing and destruction of lives and property in three states of North Central part of Nigeria.
It said that troops have already been deployed for a major offensive which is covering Benue, Nassarawa and Plateau States.
A statement from the Director of Defence Information in the Defence Headquarters, Major General Chris Olukolade said that the Internal Security Operations is meant to capture and neutralize all the enclaves of criminal gangs.
“The Nigerian Air Force, Police and other security agencies are also participating in the operation, designed to restore peace in the affected states.”
It called on the law abiding citizens to cooperate by providing timely and useful information to facilitate the operation as it affects their localities.

Fulani people in Benue state, under the umbrella of Miyetti Allah Association have disassociated themelves from the latest attacks on farmers in many parts of Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states in particular by those claiming to be Fulani herdsmen.
Governor Gabriel Suswam, who said that this position was made known to him when he held an all-night meeting with leadership of Miyetti Allah at the Government House in Makurdi last night, insisted that the attackers are mercenaries that infiltrated the state and other parts of the country to excerbate the security challenges.
Governor Suswam spoke today at the Presidential Villa, when leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), paid solidarity visit on President Jonathan.
“I have  interacted with a lot Fulani friends and they have told me that those people are not the fulanis that are indigenous to Nigeria. “Last night, the President General of Miyetti Allah spent the night with me in Benue state. He told me there was a need for us to form a joint force: that is the Benue and the Fulani communities to fight these people who are creating these problems which clearly shows that these are people who are foreign even to the fulanis that we know.”
He said that the people are worried because elections are around the corner, adding that he had always believed that it is not just the Fulani herdsmen that are doing what they are doing in the zone but some insurgents who are camouflaging as Fulani men.
“Mr. President, what we have witnessed lately are well trained people who are trained to kill and destroy and the manner of destruction is so massive and is unimaginable. The North Central is very worried. The state mostly affected are Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue.
Governor Suswam said that the Fulani men that are well known and who have lived with Nigerians are part and parcel of the North Central, adding: “we know that they carry sticks  and at times, few of them carry dane guns to catch bush meat for Tiv people.”
The governor expressed surprise anf worry that inspite of the magnitude of destruction that is going on, no one person has so far been arrested.
“We are worried that without appropriate sanctions, they will continue with impunity because once people are not sanctioned, they don’t take that serious and I think the appropriate example must be shown.
Mr. President, you must insist that your security must arrest these people. If you see the level of destruction and the fact that no person has been arrested, It becomes worrisome. Mr. President, how these people get their arms, because they are carrying very sophisticated weapons, is also an issue that we are worried about and I believe that Mr. president is also very worried because all of us swore to the constitution to protect lives and property.
“But in a situation where we have some evil men deliberately conniving with some forces that we believe are subterranean, to destroy this country and the good achievements that you have put in place should be something that should worry all of us. So, the governors of the zone ask me to urge you to continue to put in all efforts in addressing these very important security problems.”