Governor Bassey Otu.
By Anietie Akpan
Civil Society Organizations CSOs) have called on the Cross River State government to look into the issues an environmental activist, Comrade Odey Oyama was arrested and what he stood for.
They said by so doing, the truth on current interplay on issues of environment and the wanton destruction of the state’s forests will emerge and culprits brought to book.
Recall that in recent times, Oyama who is the Director of Rainforest Resource and Development Centre (RRDC), has been engaging in a fierce campaign against Chinese business concerns working with indigenous collaborators who are logging the Effi Rainforest recklessly, a trend that has resulted in massive deforestation, dissipation of wildlife and loss of biodiversity.
The embattled activist was arrested alongside four others at his home town in Ikom, January 14, 2025 by the Police on the charge of what they described as “promoting native war in Effi community” in Ikom Local Government Area (LGA) which though could not be proven so far.
The court had on January, 23, 2025 granted bail to Oyama and four other defendants namely; Alobi Ofuka, Ogbeshi Opene, Samuel Agbor and Konye Eka on conditions that they must produce two sureties each and the sum of N5 million each in case of failing to appear in court at next adjourned date.
When the matters came up again for hearing on February 7, at Magistrate Court 7, sitting in Calabar judicial division, the court adjourned the cases involving Odey Oyama and four others to February 14 and 27, 2025 respectively.
Before the adjournment, the Police Prosecutor, OU Ubi had pleaded with the court to transfer the case file to Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) citing section 372 of Cross River State Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
But the Defense Counsel, Ntufam Sunny Mgbe objected as he asked the court to strike out the case giving that the case lacks merit for lack of evidence against the accused persons.
While adjourning the matters, Magistrate Okoho Bassey asked the Prosecutor to provide evidence in case No MC/ 20C/2025 and MC/21C/2025 before the next court hearings date of February 14 and 17.
Recall that in the last sitting, January 23, the Magistrate had frowned at the police prosecutor saying, “when a case is brought before a magistrate court for the purpose of remand, it ought to comply with section 290 sub section 1 and 2 of Cross River state administration of criminal justice law, that in the instant case, only the charge is brought, no case file and no motion”.
“I am careful not to strike out this case even though it is incompetent before me” as the prosecutor did not act in good faith.
Commenting on Oyama’s traverse, one of the CSOs, the Director of PeacePoint Development Foundation (PPDF), Mr.Umo Isuaiko, commended the court for granting the activist and others bail even though with stiff conditions and “we thank members for rallying round him”.
However,”we advocate that the state government should look into the issues of his arrest and those things Odey Oyama advocate for as far as the environment is concerned”.
Those things he advocates for “are for the good of the state and the society. We should not play politics with it”.
