AJOKE PHILIPS
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh.
The arrest was confirmed by a family representative, Kazeem Olajide, who disclosed that Jamoh was taken into custody by ICPC operatives while returning from court to his residence.
According to Olajide, the former NIMASA boss was intercepted by armed men wearing ICPC jackets, forcibly taken to his home where a search was conducted, before being transported from Kaduna to Abuja.
“In the afternoon of January 29, at about 12:00 noon, Dr Bashir Jamoh, a law-abiding citizen, was intercepted by gunmen wearing ICPC jackets while returning from court to his residence. He was forcibly taken to his home, which was subsequently raided, before he was moved from Kaduna to Abuja,” Olajide said.
He further stated that since Jamoh’s arrest, the family has been unable to reach him, adding that he has been denied access to both his family and legal counsel.
“Since his abduction, all efforts to contact or locate Dr Jamoh have proven unsuccessful. He has been denied access to his family and legal counsel, leaving his loved ones in deep anguish and uncertainty,” he said.
The family expressed concern over Jamoh’s safety and well-being, describing his continued incommunicado detention as a violation of his fundamental human rights.
“His continued detention without communication and the uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts raise serious concerns about his safety, well-being and the violation of his fundamental human rights,” Olajide added.
He appealed to the public to remember the former NIMASA chief in their prayers, while hoping for his safety and eventual reunification with his family.