My Life is In Danger - Man Who Named Dog Buhari Cries Out

All has not been heard in the case of a man arrested by the police for naming his dog Buhari, as a new twist has now developed.

Joachim Chinakwe

 

Mr. Joachim Chinakwe, the trader arrested and detained at the Sango Ota Police Station, Ogun State, on August 13, 2016, for naming his dog Buhari, has said his life is no longer safe.

Speaking with The Punch correspondent on Friday minutes before he was again locked behind bars at the State Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, after initially being released last Tuesday, the father of one who hails from Delta State, cried out that  he feared for his life because he does not know what could happen to him next.

“I had to leave for Eleweran very early on Friday after receiving a letter on Thursday evening inviting me to the Command. I thought I was being called over for a peace talk, I never knew it was for the purpose of detaining me again.

“I am a law-abiding citizen of this country, I have never deliberately committed any offence before, I don’t know why I am being treated like this. I only called the dog that name for the love I have for President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria, I didn’t mean to taunt or hurt anybody with it. I don’t know what next could follow this, I am afraid for my life, I am in danger, please help me,” Chinakwe said before the telephone line went off.

The latest twist to the matter has caused relatives and friends who have been running round to free the trader serious distress

Obinna Obasi, a relation to the detained man who also spoke to our correspondent during the visit to the family house in a remote part of Sango Ota on Friday, said the case apart from taking its toll on their energies and time, had also drained their pockets.

He said relatives and friends of Chinakwe have even had to borrow money from a micro finance bank to hire lawyers to fight his case – one of whom he said even duped them in the process.

“This matter has really drained us financially,” Obasi revealed. “The little that we even have has been exhausted. We have spent everything on us to get a lawyer and also run around trying to find a solution to this problem. In fact, a few days ago, we had to borrow some money from a micro finance bank because we didn’t want him to remain and die in police cell. The first lawyer we paid to handle the case for us disappeared with our money. We had to go beyond our power to raise money to hire another lawyer. To be honest, I cannot estimate the amount of money we have spent so far on this case in trying to get Joe released,” he said.