More than 48 hours after armed operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) whisked away the president-general of the National Association of Plants Operators (NAPO), Harold Benstowe, alongside two of his members, Tuwonimi Benstowe and Michael Mbata, their whereabouts remain unknown.
The counsel for NAPO, Marx Ikongbeh, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt. yesterday, said the arrest and detention of Benstowe and two others by the DSS amounts to contempt of court.
In a letter to the director-general of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, the lawyer demanded the immediate and unconditional release of NAPO president and his members, urging him to call his Rivers State command to order.
Ikongbeh said: "The action in light of the pending Court case is contemptuous of the authority of the Court.
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"In light of the above, we call on you to use your good office to immediately intervene and call the Rivers State Command to order and direct them to immediately release our clients."
The NAPO counsel drew the attention of the DSS boss to a pending suit (Suit No.: NICN/ABJ/165/2024) at the National Industrial Court between NAPO and the Minister of Labour and Employment where the DSS is a party, viz:
The Incorporated Trustees of National Association of Plant Operators (NAPO) 3 Ors vs Hon. Minister of Labour & Employment & 2 Ors.
"We are solicitor to the National Association of Plants Operators - NAPO (our "client"). Our client is a recognized Trade Union duly approved for registration by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment. You will recollect that our client is currently in Court in respect of the above listed matter where the DSS is listed as the 11th Party-Sought-to-be-Joined and has even filed a counter-affidavit," he said.
Ikongbeh stated that the Rivers State Command of the DSS, when contacted, denied having Benstowe and his members in its custody despite arresting him in full view of the public and media, accusing the Command of denying the labour union leader and his members of access to their families, lawyers and doctors.
"Lawyers from our chambers went to the Rivers State Command, but they were denied access to our clients. As it stands the family members of our client's do not know their whereabouts if not that their arrest was covered by men of the Press who published it."
"Your organization as a creature of law ought to know that under the constitutional protection granted to every citizen, arrest, detention and denial of access to lawyers is unlawful and a gross violation of the constitution."
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"It is even worse when such action is carried out against workers who are exercising their labour union rights. We know that your administration is working hard to clean up the image of the DSS and we submit that this incident might become a dent and an irremovable blot on your good efforts."
