The stupidity about arresting people for talking is that, it is a total waste of time. But those who are intoxicated with power are so naive to realize it until power leaves them.
First, everything under section 24 of the Cyber Crime Act, which is being used to harass people for questioning their government is bailable. Be you Governor, Senator, Minister, Security Chief, even a court judge or any other thing that you may consider powerful, no one possesses the power to lock anyone up ad infinitum.
Every accused person must be brought before a judge where they will be granted bail. But it is so pitiable how those who hold power temporarily fail to realize this simple reality. If you sincerely think a commentator has defamed you, seek justice by going to the courts to sue. Stop using the Police to harass citizens for talking. The sickening desire to see people in handcuffs and the stinking ego arising from this primitive behavior amounts to nothing other than feeling, “I have dealt with that person.” But matter-of-factly, you haven’t dealt with anyone. You only made that person more popular and more powerful and elevated the person to a force to reckon with. I am a typical example of that.
They came to bundle me from Lagos several times to Calabar. They bundled Ifere Paul and Joseph Odok from Abuja to Calabar. What did any of that amount to? Absolutely nothing! It was all ego trips that actually back fired and turned the people against the government.
Why do people in government fail to learn this lesson? Do they think they will be in government forever? Where are those who wielded power from Peregrino House yesterday? Are citizens not detesting them today with passion?
I have reached out to those who I think are responsible for the arrest of Denis Odama and I fervently hope that he will be let off the hook without delay, because that is the right thing to do. I am also in touch with Denis himself and have urged him to remain strong and not be shaken. Nothing will happen to him. I have been through that path. They have just succeeded in matriculating him into the hall of fame.
But one more thing for the power maniacs. Stop wasting your time and resources thinking you can stop people from talking. The earlier you stop ignoring your critics and begin to address the issues they raise, the better for you. No government, no man, no authority was ever able to stop those they lead from complaining. In fact, the arrest of Odama has instigated more younger persons to talk and watch it, more will raise their voices and the second term of this administration will witness more bitterness and opprobrium from the people. Denis will be released, either by the courts or by those who arrested him and the people in power will be hated for arresting him. It is that simple!
#ReleaseDenisOdamaNow!
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.