A group called Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has condemned the arrest of Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu over his arrest by the Nigeria Army for wearing a uniform supporting IPOB.
The group, which describes itself as the umbrella body of all the youth groups in the South East geopolitical zone came out in numbers to ask that the actor be released because what he did was lawful.
Recall that Chiwetalu was arrested by the Nigeria Army, paraded and was later released to the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
According to the Army, the actor was arrested for flaunting the Biafran symbol displayed on the outfit which he recently wore.
Reacting to this, COSEYL released a statement to the press.
In their statement, they jointly condemned the act.
“We condemn in strongest terms the manhandling and torture of a professional and prolific actor of Southeast extraction, Chiwetalu Agu in Onitsha by Nigerian Army and arrest by the DSS for wearing a red, green and black clothe that has a drawing of a sun on it.
“The manhandling and torture by the Army and arrest by the Department of State Security, DSS of an elderly Igbo man like Chiwetalu Agu in broad daylight confirms to the entire world the hatred and disdain the Nigerian Army and the DSS have against Ndigbo.
“The Nigerian army and the DSS are now agencies for the harassment, intimidation and killing of Ndigbo. What the army did to the Igbo actor is gross ethnic vendetta.
“… wicked inclinations towards Ndigbo because on more than one occasion the Kaduna based Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi was seen holding meetings and holding briefs for kidnappers, bandits and terrorists.
“The Igbo actor wore just a clothe with a red, green, black and a sun drawn on it, which is by every standard very lawful, but because he is an Igboman, the Army tortured and manhandled him and thereafter handed him over to the DSS for more torture and inhuman treatments and the DSS is now saying that justice would be done.
“This is a travesty of the law and we condemn it in its entirety.
“We demand the unconditional and immediate release of Mr Chinwetalu Agu by the DSS and we demand that the army and the DSS should pay compensation to him for the injury and inhuman treatments meted out to him,” the statement read.
