Opuama's wife begs for his release after weeks in illegal detention

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has been called on to free the Liberation Movement candidate in the last Bayelsa governorship election, Vijah Eldred Opuama.

Cherry Vijah, wife of Mr Opuama made the call to the IGP.

Information gathered by SaharaReporters indicated that Opuama was arrested within the premises of the election petition tribunal in Abuja on August 15, 2020 by a team reportedly from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police and had already spent two weeks in custody.

He was arrested shortly after he arrived to hear the judgment of the tribunal in a case he filed seeking the disqualification of the Bayelsa deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrujakpo, over alleged document forgery.

Though the case was dismissed by the tribunal, the candidate was forced out of his vehicle by the police, who handcuffed and whisked him away to their office in Abuja.

According to his wife, the family had been through immeasurable pain since he was arrested.

She claimed the politician was allegedly recording a phone call he received from a caller, who identified himself as one Benson Agadaga, the Chief of Staff to the Bayelsa State governor, before the incident happened.

She also added that he was handcuffed and in the process an officer rushed at her and kicked her on the stomach.

“Vijah Opuama was already in handcuffs, yet the police officer rushed at me and kicked me on the stomach.

“This is just barely a week after I had a miscarriage. And I was going through pains and on heavy medications, and treatment,” she said.

She appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to step in to see to the release of her husband.