By 247ureports.com
Dr. Benjamin “Ben” Smith, State Director of the Obidient Movement in Akwa Ibom State, has been arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, hours after police blocked a planned “Two Million-Man” solidarity march for NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi and running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso on Independence Day.
How It Unfolded
Police had earlier arrested Elijah Noah, the Akwa Ibom coordinator of the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement, during the attempted Thursday march in Uyo. Police said eight people in total were arrested for allegedly engaging in acts capable of causing a breach of public peace and disregarding lawful security directives. According to Esther Umoh, a media aide to Peter Obi, Smith was then arrested in Ikot Akpan, Abia, while accompanying other supporters attempting to secure Noah’s release. “This kind of intimidation must not be tolerated,” Umoh wrote.
The Lead-Up: A Cancelled March
The march had been planned to mark the second edition of a solidarity walk first held October 1, 2022, mobilising supporters across all 31 of Akwa Ibom’s local government areas. The Akwa Ibom Police Command issued a statement Thursday rescheduling all previously approved political rallies, meetings and processions statewide, citing “credible intelligence” of plans by unnamed individuals to exploit scheduled political activities to cause disturbances.
Smith had addressed a press conference earlier Thursday expressing frustration with the directive, noting that Commissioner of Police Baba Mohammed Azare had met with organisers on September 29 and had previously approved the march. Smith said the movement had spent more than N20 million mobilising supporters and called the last-minute cancellation “an afterthought,” adding that the coalition would not accept further cancellations going forward.
Response From the Movement
Dr. Yunusa Tanko, recently named Political Adviser for Northern Nigeria to Peter Obi, publicly called for Smith’s release, citing constitutional guarantees under Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution protecting freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. “We will not be intimidated, silenced, or cowed,” Tanko wrote. “We stand firmly for justice, liberty, and the rule of law.” The Akwa Ibom chapter of the Obidient Movement has launched a #FreeDrBenSmith campaign, demanding Smith’s immediate and unconditional release and calling on the state Commissioner of Police to uphold due process and constitutional rights.
What’s Unresolved
As of this report, the Akwa Ibom Police Command had not issued a separate public statement specifically addressing Smith’s arrest, beyond its earlier statement confirming eight arrests during the original march disruption. The precise charges, if any, against Smith have not been publicly disclosed, and his current custody status is unconfirmed.
247ureports.com will update this story as police, the NDC, or Smith’s legal representatives provide further details.
