Army arrests ex-militant leader as lawyer threatens legal action

Soldiers suspected to be from the 4th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Edo State Capital, have arrested an ex-militant leader, Aboy Francis Muturu, at his residence in Bomadi Town of Delta State.
The former militant, sources said, was arrested in the presence of his breastfeeding wife in the early hours of Friday last week.
It was not clear if he was arrested in connection with the activities of the new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, responsible for the series of attacks on oil facilities in the region in recent times.

Findings by our correspondent reveal that the ex-militant kingpin was among those to have voluntarily embraced the amnesty programme initiated by the erstwhile President Musa Yar’Adua.
It was gathered that General Aboy as he is fondly called was immediately whisked to an unknown destination and has been kept incommunicado from family members Ijaw leaders.
The former militant’s wife, Mrs. Beauty Aboy Muturu, confirmed the arrest to our correspondent when contacted on the telephone.
Meanwhile, a prominent Warri lawyer and National coordinator, Conference for the actualisation of Human Right, Mr Omes Ogedegbe, on Monday threatened legal action against the Nigerian Army over the arrest.
Ogedegbe, who claimed to be lawyer to the ex-militant, in an open letter to the Army Chief of Staff, described the arrest as provocative and illegal.
The arrested ex-militant’s lawyer said, “That upon the embrace of the amnesty programme, our client has long denounced militancy as he is currently the managing director of Vicmut Hotels Limited located in Bomadi main town with a laudable staff strength.
“That since the abduction of Ex-Militant General Aboy Francis Muturu on the 7^th of June, 2016, the whereabouts of ex-General Aboy Francis Muturu has remained unknown neither has the family any clue as to his whereabouts save for the fact that Capt. Robert of the 222 battalion was part of the team.”
Ogedegbe noted should the Nigerian Army fail to release the ex-militant leader within the next 48 hours counting from Monday it would institute a legal action to enforce the fundamental human rights of the former warlord.
When contacted on the development, Capt. Jonah Unuakhalu, Assistant Director, Public Relations Unit of the 4 Brigade Benin, denied knowledge of the incident but promised to investigate and get back to our correspondent.