“Prison Officials Preventing Inibehe Effiong From Meeting His Lawyers Confidentially” — Odinkalu

*Says We Have Cause To Fear For His Safety
*Claims He Was Assaulted, Brutalised And His Hairs Forcefully Removed

A Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu has said there is now cause to worry for the safety of incarcerated human rights activist and lawyer, Inibehe Effiong following happening in the last 48 hours.

Odinkalu made this known through an update on the issue which he shared on his official twitter handle @ChidiOdinkalu.

According to him, Inibehe has been transferred from the Ikot-Ekpene Correctional Centre to the Uyo Correctional Centre where he claims he is being brutalised and manhandled by the officials.

He tweeted: “Today, Fri, 12 Aug, we’ve arranged for some comrades to visit with @InibeheEffiong at the Uyo Prison in Akwa Ibom State. We can confirm that:

1. An order was procured to transfer him from Ikot-Ekpene prison where he was previously held & to brutalise him;

2. In the past 48 hrs, a horde of prison officials under the command of a senior officer brutalised set upon Inibehe, assaulted him, brutalised him & forcefully removed the hairs on his head & face, injuring him in the process.

3. We now have reason to fear for Inibehe’s safety.”

Odinkalu further lamented that Effiong has been prevented from meeting his lawyers under standard conditions.

He added, “The prison officials have refused for @InibeheEffiong to meet with his lawyers under circumstances that respect lawyer-client confidentiality. Instead the insist on sitting in on & listening to his communications with his lawyers at all times.”