Judex Okoro, Calabar

Amnesty International (AI) has stated that the Cross River governor, Prof Ben Ayade, is running a repressive regime, describing the state as very hostile to journalists.

Addressing journalists in Calabar on Thursday, the media manager of Amnesty International, AI, Isa Sanusi, said it is high time Ayade’s administration respected and protected the right to freedom of expression and media freedom.

Sanusi maintained that the reported repression of journalists and human rights activists could hinder investors from coming to the state.

He said: “Cross River is becoming a den of repression where an increasing number of people are being clamped into detention. Cross River government is very high-handed and repressive. We have written to him (governor) several times over the situation in the state as well as continued incarceration of Agba Jalingo but Gov Ayade never bothered to respond.

“We are concerned that Agba Jalingo’s trial falls short of international standards of fairness, especially because the court has allowed witnesses to be masked and trial to be held in secret.

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“The flawed charges and sham trial of Agba Jalingp had exposed the inadequacies and manipulation of the Nigerian criminal justice system and an unacceptable contempt for human rights and the rule of law.

“Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari must stop filing bogus and politically-motivated charges against critics and start listening to what they have to say.

“The pattern of repression in Cross River State flagrantly violates the Nigerian constitution of 1999 as amended, and International and Regional Human and Peoples’ rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.

He further stated that holding Jalingo in detention over spurious allegations means Ayade is working against the people who voted him into power, calling on the governor to immediately release Agba unconditionally and stop playing politics with the liberty of citizens of the state.

Agba Jalingo was arrested at his home in Lagos on the 22nd of August last year and driven more than 766 km by road to Calabar.

After writing a series of articles critical of the state government including questioning the whereabouts of N500m approved for the Cross River Micro Finance Bank, he was charged with treason, terrorism and publishing a false information.