According to Nivo News, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), has urged the Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Police Force to either promptly charge Pastor Tombari Joseph Gbeneol to court or release him without further delay, following his continued detention over an alleged plot to assassinate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Pastor Gbeneol, a Port Harcourt-based cleric, was reportedly taken into custody after a leaked telephone conversation surfaced online, allegedly linking him and a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, to a plan involving the recruitment of foreign nationals to carry out an attack on the former Rivers governor. The viral audio triggered widespread reactions and prompted police intervention, leading to the pastor’s arrest and detention.

Reacting to the development, Osigwe expressed deep concern over what he described as a violation of constitutional provisions, noting that the prolonged detention of the cleric without formal charges raises serious questions about adherence to the rule of law. In a statement personally signed by him, the NBA president said reports of Gbeneol’s arrest and his continued detention for nearly two weeks without arraignment strike at the heart of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

While acknowledging the duty of law enforcement agencies to safeguard national security and protect public officials, Osigwe stressed that such responsibilities must always be exercised within the confines of the Constitution. He emphasized that security concerns do not override constitutional safeguards, nor do they justify indefinite detention without due process.

The NBA president reiterated that the Constitution guarantees personal liberty and clearly outlines procedures for arrest and detention, including the requirement that any suspect be informed of the allegations against them and brought before a competent court within the time prescribed by law. He maintained that detention beyond these limits, without a valid court order or formal charge, remains unlawful regardless of the gravity of the allegation.

Osigwe further noted that the NBA is particularly troubled by reports indicating that Pastor Gbeneol has remained in custody for an extended period without being charged, stressing that allegations, no matter how serious, remain unproven until tested in open court. He warned against allowing investigative delays, media narratives or executive actions to erode the presumption of innocence, which he described as a cornerstone of the criminal justice system.

He called on the Nigeria Police Force to act strictly in line with the law by either charging the pastor before a court of competent jurisdiction or releasing him immediately if investigations fail to establish sufficient grounds for prosecution. Osigwe cautioned that continued detention without judicial oversight undermines public confidence in law enforcement institutions.

The NBA also urged that investigations into the matter be conducted professionally and transparently, without unlawful detention or coercive tactics, adding that the same constitutional standards must apply to all individuals involved. He warned against the criminal justice system being weaponised or allegations of political or security nature being used to justify actions that erode fundamental rights.