A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Monday ordered the Inspector General of Police,Mohammed Adamu to produce a detained gubernatorial candidate in Bayelsa polls, Vijah Opuama of the Liberation Movement.

Vijah Opuama has been was a candidate in the Bayelsa State gubernatorial race of 16th day of November, 2019.

It would be recalled that Vijah Opuama has been detained since the 15th day of August, 2020. He was reported to have been arrested in the premises of the state’s Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja while waiting for judgment to be delivered on his petition challenging the outcome of the disputed poll.

However, by an ex parte motion brought by his counsel, Michael Odey, the Court gave the order for his production in order for the Police to show cause why he should not be released.

However, the Court held that although the veracity of the depositions contained in Opuama’s application could not be verified until the Police respond to them, it was of concern that the Police could detain the suspect beyond the constitutionally-permitted 24-hour period without granting him an administrative bail or charging him with any offence before any court of competent jurisdiction which he said were many in Abuja.

Thus, the Court stated that the IGP “shall show cause why the applicant should not be released unconditionally” and further ordered that “the applicant shall be produced in court on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.”

Meanwhile, in the Affidavit accompanying the Motion, Opuama’s wife, Ebikoboere Amaebi, deposed that her husband was whisked away by “some unidentified men” within the premises of the Tribunal while awaiting judgement.

“I have been losing blood since then and I am apprehensive that I may lose my pregnancy over that kick by the Police officers that came to arrest my husband, the applicant.

“The applicant was arrested that day and whisked away by the Police officers who we later understood were from the office of the 2nd respondent and directly instructed by the 1st and 2nd respondents to effect the arrest.” She said.

She added that with the arrest, her husband “who is entitled to be in the tribunal to participate and listen to the judgment in his case, could not be allowed to participate in the proceedings of that August 15, 2020 before the Election Petition Tribunal.”

She further noted that her husband was only later told that he was arrested over “a petition written against him for recording a phone call” received by him “sometime back from a caller who identified himself in the phone as Benson Agadaga, Chief of Staff”.

She added that “there is no offence known to law as recording a phone call received from a caller”.

In addition, she said the detained husband “is being persecuted for filing election petition before the Bayelsa State Governorship Election tribunal sitting in Abuja”, adding that his “arrest and detention” were “a calculated attempt to prevent him from campaigning and participating in the fresh Governorship election of Bayelsa State as ordered by the Election Petition Tribunal.”

recalls that Opuama’s petition was dismissed by the Tribunal on the 15th day of August, 2020 judgment.

It would be further recalled that the election of Governor Duoye Diri, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was nullified with a fresh poll ordered to be held within 90 days by a subsequent judgment of the Tribunal delivered on the petition by Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party on 17th day of August, 2020.