Sports reporters in Akwa Ibom State has called for the immediate and unconditional released of one of its members, Kufre Cater, arrested by the State Security Services (SSS).
In a statement signed by Emmanuel Akpan and Secretary Theophilus Udo and made available The Guardian in Uyo yesterday, the body said that Carter works with XL 106.9FM, one of the private radio stations in the state.
“Comrade Kufre Carter, who is a sport presenter with XL106.9FM, is a registered member and we hereby call for his unconditional release or be immediately charged to court.
“Under normal circumstances, we would not have gotten to this stage because as a law abiding citizen, Comrade Kufre Carter had received a phone call to be at the State Security Service (SSS), Akwa Ibom State Command in Uyo on Monday over a purported audio conversation with a medical practitioner on the current fight against Coronavirus in the state.
“On his arrival at the state’s SSS office, he was detained and has been there for over 24 hours without being told of his crime whether criminal or civil.”
They said Comrade Kufre Carter’s continued detention by the SSS has exposed him to a high risk of contracting the dreaded Coronavirus, “as the preventive measures are said not to be taken into consideration at his incarceration center, which is against the directives of the Health Organisation, Federal and State governments on the fight against Coronavirus.
“As a public affairs commentator that is respected within and outside the state, our member did no harm in doing his comment and as a responsible citizen of Nigeria; he has no record of criminality and as such, should not be treated as a common criminal.
“As we demand for his release with immediate effect, we urge the state government, Human Rights activists, and right thinking members of the public to join us in calling on the SSS to either release Comrade Kufre Carter unconditionally from detention or be charged to court.”
