I AM NOT UNGRATEFUL
(A life experience of Ken Minima with Justice Mrs. Eberechi Suzzette N-Wike

In the year 2007, before the general elections, while H.E Peter Odili was governor of Rivers State, as CSO to then ONOLGA LGA Chairman & the Council, I was arrested alongside
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5 others, two of whom are now late(Justice Iyowuna Oko Jaja & Felix Okwudili Minimah RIP my brothers)

It was all about the political crisis that engulfed the then Dr. Odili's political family, when H.E. CRA's party mandate and flag, was arbitrarily taken away and handed #Thread

over to Barr. Omehia, I am amongst those who rebelled against that decision and supported the move to challenge the act in court. My choice to stand with Amaechi at the time, cost me my then appointment as CSO, since the LGA Chairman decided to work with Barr. Omehia's #Thread

So, on that faithful day, early 2007, in Opobo town, I got involved in fisticuffs with some youngmen loyal to the Barr. Omehia's group, the fight spread and many others joined, somehow we overpowered our opponents and they scampered away. Late that night, #Thread

when I had retired, information got to me that a mob of youngmen are moving from house to house molesting, destroying properties & arresting any youngman known to be linked to me or the CRA's group, so I came out & resisted such brutality, but I was eventually overpowered #Thread

too, then got arrested by an army of youngmen, in company of mobile policemen attached to the then LGA Chairman.
The six of us were detained at the Opobo Police Division facility, without charges, "orders from above", the next morning, men of the Bori police Division #Thread

arrived and moved us to Bori, detained us at their Anti-robbery Unit, "orders from above". Late that same night, at about 12.00midnight - http://1.am , a team of SARS officers arrived Bori police station in a vanagon bus, demanded to take us away, but the #Thread

officers incharge that night, demanded for official signal, before we could be released, but the SARS officers, beat up the officers incharge, forcefully took custody of the six of us, "orders from above", without leaving details of where they were taking us to.
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The next day, my late dad and friends arrived Bori police station, the DPO/Officers incharge, denied ever arresting or detaining the six(6) of us in their station. Then hell let loose, as we were now alleged missing.

We arrived SARS office borikiri at about 3am, after a #Thread

few minutes of torture and interview, the officers realized that they've been deceived and lied to, by those behind the "order from above". The team leader who somehow had heard my name and knew that I was ONOLGA CSO at some point, told us that some persons brought #Thread

a report to their office, that, i led a group of armed youngmen, broke into the council and carted away some millions of naira at gunpoint, then attempted to assassinate the LGA Chairman, who escaped, and that they've realized that, the allegations against us, isn't true, #Thread

forward with a petition, just to substantiate their false accusation of "armedrobbery and assassination attempt". A cooked up allegation, just to get us killed or incarcerated, all for politics.
Two(2) weeks in detention, with pressures from my late dad, his friends and #Thread

Hon. @PetersideDakuku, the attention of the then State commissioner of police was drawn closer to the matter, who now ordered for a proper investigation on the matter, so detectives were dispatched to Opobo, after two days, they returned and submitted a clean bill, #Thread

exhnorated us from any crime close to armed robbery or assassination, but submitted that we were involved in a political clash

Those who tried to frame us, forgot that, the DSS office was adjacent to the council lodge/office, where the "robbery & assassination attempt" #Thread

was alleged to have taken place, so the DSS report on the matter, also dismissed anything close to the allegations against us.

However, the enemies/aggressors didn't give up, they bought over a certain magistrate & his court, in concert with some corrupt/compromised #Thread

police officers, prepared our case to be handled in that court on a Thursday, for us to be charged for "armed robbery & assassination attempt", where we will be denied bail

However, because we where truly innocent, one police officer got wind of the evil plot, God used #Thread

him to destroy the devil's plan by Wednesday, he came to me inside the cell, asked me for a number that can help rescue me(us), because he is aware we are innocent and some political interest wants us to be incarcerated at the PH prison facility, on the account of #Thread

awaiting trial. I gave him Dakuku's number.
In a few hours, before the close of work that same they, in a commando style, a set of police officers from the CP"s office, arrived SIIB, moved us to the court premises, in a few minutes, myself and the others are standing #Thread

before Justice(Mrs) Suzzete Wike, our charges had been adjusted to, "breaking/entering and disturbance of public peace", after the prosecutor readout the charges, we all pleaded, "not guilty", and she pronounced, "bail granted, case adjourned".

We left the court and #Thread

back to freedom, after two more appearances/adjournments, those behind our trivails never showed up in court, on the third adjournment, she pronounced, case closed/dismissed, Ken Minimah & five others are hereby discharged and acquitted, judged not guilty".

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To God be the glory.
Thank you Her Excellency Eberechi Suzzette Wike.
Happy birthday.
Remain blessed and soar higher. Congratulations

So, I am not ungrateful. I will always remember.
- Ken Minimah



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