GROUP CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF COMMODORE ALLEN BENSON EDEMA WHO WAS ALLEGEDLY ARREST BY NIGERIA NAVY.

COMMODORE ALLEN BENSON EDEMA, the Director General of NIGERIAN MERCHANT NAVY COAST GUARD, was arrested at the premises of the National Assembly (NASS)by personnel of Nigerian Navy on Thursday 18 November, 2016 together with one of his officers by name JOHN MATEP EGERE on allegation of impersonation and duly dressed in the uniform and accoutrement of a Naval Commodore, (equivalent to a Brigadier General).Also the declaration of the PROSCRIBED status of Nigerian Merchant Navy by Federal Government of Nigeria through its official Gazette No 58, Vol 




100 of Aug 2013 as quoted by the authority of the Nigerian Navy in a publication dated 22nd Nov, 2016 are tantamount to an unfounded allegation, gross misplacement of priority, baseless and lacks merit.
The Director General COMMODORE ALLEN BENSON EDEMA and JOHN MATEP EGERE, who were both arrested on Thursday 18th Nov, 2016 were taken to Abacha Barrack Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja where they were detainedincommunicado in a military cell without any trial. Following the 24 hrs ultimatum given to the Naval Authority by the Federal High Court seating in Abuja on 15th December, 2016 for their unconditional release as a means to enforce their fundamental human right after three weeks of detention, it became clear with high level of amazement that the authority of Nigerian Navy who ought to respect the judiciary blatantly defy Court order and instead handed them over to the Department of State Security (DSS) who continued the inhuman merchandize and unwarranted exploits of Nigerian Navy and have kept COMMODORE BENSON EDEMA and JOHN MATEP EGERE in custody since then till date without any trial.


THE MERCHANT NAVY COAST-GUARD:For better conception and understanding, the Merchant Navy Coast Guard, are professional seafarers mandated to implement and to enforce the I.S.P.S.CODE (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code) and S.O.L.A.S (Safety of Life at Sea) under the auspices of the [IMO] International Maritime Organization with the Geneva Convention as formulated in 2001. The NIGERIAN MERCHANT NAVY COAST GUARD with (Uniforms/Ranks/Head gear/General Badge) etc., and all other accoutrements are duly registered by Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry with certificate of registration under the Trade Mark Act CAP 436 LAW OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA 1990; SECTION 22{3} REGULATION 65; Class 25 under No.85454, signed and sealed on 6th Oct, 2010.


The Officers and men of NIGERIAN MERCHANT NAVY COAST GUARD therefore, demand that with immediate effect, the juggernauts (NIGERIAN NAVY AND DSS) who have translated the present democratic balance of our Nation into a platter of unguided and reckless disregard to series of Court orders, victimization and bastardization of democratic legacies, should immediately release COMMODORE ALLEN BENSON EDEMA and JOHN MATEP EGERE by respecting and giving full credence to the Rule of Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to which they took an oath to respect, defend, secure and serve with integrity and ethical morals to which the auspicious progressive state of this country is anchored.


Remember that we are citizens of this great country Nigeria and have dedicated ourselves to serve the Nation with dignity and avalanche of great commitment to Nation building and we do not deserve to be dehumanized and neither be victimized nor be treated like common criminals as it has been meted on COMMODORE ALLEN BENSON EDEMA and JOHN MATEP EGERE. Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard cannot be operating under isolation neither be subjected to an atmosphere of ignominious vantage by Nigerian Navy and DSS who both vowed to protect lives and property of the citizenry, but inversely obstruct and jeopardize the fundamental ethics and clarion call of our national solidarity through despotic cruelty and insubordination to the laws of the land. Our candid advice to Nigerian Navy and DSS and other agencies acting likewise; and feel that the federal might and power at their disposal are to be exercised to strangulate and subjugate innocent citizens of this country to a state of debasement and excommunication, to quickly come to their senses and begin to exercise common wisdom with diplomatic vehemence in their operations, and ensure that they are sincere with all the allegations they may want to charge against COMMODORE ALLEN BENSON EDEMA because the day of reckoning is near and all their evil exploits shall not go unnoticed.


Nigeria belongs to all of us hence the life of thousands of NMN Coast Guard members lies in a divine balance and cannot be truncated by these illegalities aimed at subverting the legitimate, holistic and genuine focus of Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard. Our destiny cannot be determined by Nigerian Navy or Department of State Security!Therefore, let Nigerian Navy and Department of State Security (DSS) articulate their energies in defending the noble cause of this country such as will bring to bear, true patriotism, democratic entrenchments, political and socio economic balance and visible transformation instead of this monumental and vindictive decapitation of Nigerians citizens especially Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard, with noble and legitimate cause that is set to bring Nigeria to a state of ovation.


WITH EMPHASIS! NIGERIAN MERCHANT NAVY COAST GUARD IS REAL! LONG LIVE NMN COAST GUARD!! LONG LIVE FEDERAL REPUBIC OF NIGERIA!!!