Ozekhome demands release of Abiola’s children

Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says the detention of Kassim and Aliyu Abiola, two children of the late MKO Abiola, is illegal.

The two brothers were arrested following a robbery incident at the residence of the late businessman and presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. 

Adebisi, one of the widows of Abiola, had been accused of being behind the arrest, and on Friday, the children, through Ozekhome, their lawyer, had filed a N100 million suit against the police. 

Adebisi, however, through Debo Adeleke, the family’s lawyer, said the two brothers were arrested over their unruly conduct with the police. Adeleke had also said the family was making efforts to get them released until lawyers from Ozekhome came and thwarted the process.

But reacting on Sunday, Ozekhome said it was surprising that the family lawyer admitted that the two brothers had nothing to do with the robbery, yet they were arrested and detained. 

“It is laughable and ludicrous in the extreme to suggest that the illegally detained children’s bail was thwarted by the mere appearance ‘of a lawyer from the law firm of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN in the company of a woman (who) stormed the Lagos State Police Command and informed the Police of the suit filed in court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of Messrs Kassim and Aliu Abiola.’ How?” Ozekhome asked. 

“So, the detained Abiola children’s release on administrative bail was ‘thwarted’ after nine days of illegal detention by the mere coincidental presence of our lawyers to serve the police with the motion on notice, as ordered by the court, after the ex parte court hearing?

“How could our lawyers’ mere presence to serve the police court-ordered processes have led to: ‘the unfortunate turn of events hangered (sic) Chief Mrs Adebisi Abiola and other members of the family and they were thoroughly embarrassed’?

“Were our lawyers part of the Abiola family meeting where it was decided that the children be released? 

“Did anyone inform the detained children that ‘frantic efforts to get them released on bail’ were being made by ‘other members of the family’, as stated in Mr Adeleke’s press release, before the said detained children still went ahead and verbally reaffirmed their mother ‘s earlier telephone briefing of our law firm at a meeting with our Messrs Onuigbo and Onuoha at the SARS detention cell in Ikeja?

“We are appalled, reading the entire press release of Mr Adeleke that the only reason why the Abiola children are still being detained for nearly two whole weeks, is not because anything incriminating was ever found with them after several searches in their personal homes (and as averred to in the affidavit evidence before the court), but for the following extra-legal and extrajudicial reasons not connected with the robbery incident, as stated in Mr Adeleke’s said press release.”

Calling for the immediate release of the children, the senior lawyer urged the family to honour and protect the legacy of the late Abiola.