Constitutional lawyer and rights activist Mike Ozekhome, it has been revealed, was instrumental in the release of Nollywood actor Chiwetalu Agu from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Chiwetalu was arrested on Thursday, October 7 in Onitsha, Anambra State for wearing an outfit made from the Biafran flag. The Nigerian Army said the actor’s action was seen as supporting the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a proscribed separatist group.
The actor denied the allegations, saying he was wearing a civil dress that symbolises the rising sun.
However, following his release on Friday, October 8, Chiwetalu was quickly snapped up by the DSS and had been in the secret police’s custody until Tuesday, October 12. Chiwetalu was subsequently flown to Abuja.
Relief would later come as the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), which has been actively involved in the case from the beginning, stepped up again to rescue the comic star.
It was gathered that the AGN briefed Ozekhome’s chambers to take up Chiwetalu’s defence pro bono.
Ozekhome was briefed by AGN president Emeka Rollas and AGN chieftains Steve Eboh and Nobert Oguegbu alias Waski.
Chiwetalu was released to Eboh and Monalisa Chinda, who is the guild’s spokesperson, at the DSS headquarters in Abuja, after a careful search on Chiwetalu’s phones showed nothing incriminating.
Reno Omokri, former media aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, expressed gratitude to Ozekhome in an Instagram post.
“I am ever grateful to Chief Mike Ozekhome for being instrumental to the release of Chiwetalu Agu after his unjust and illegal arrest by a repressive regime that celebrates Sheikh Gumi for promoting terrorist bandits and denigrates Agu for expressing his freedom of thought via his dressing,” he wrote.
The excited Chiwetalu in company of Eboh, later paid a courtesy call on Ozekhome, and his team of lawyers at the latter’s Abuja chambers, to thank them and express their gratitude for Chiwetalu’s release.
Chiwetalu and Eboh were even made to do the signature Ozekhome ‘one leg up’ pose.
