Mrs Onyekachi Orji has stayed a total of 22years of jail term on awaiting trial and yet she has not opened her defense with the prosecution frustrating her case to deliberately keep her in detention. Within that 22years of jail term which is practically twelve years plus; she gave birth to her first child in detention.
She was arrested in 2006 and taken to Onitsha prison and has added 12 years to her age as at the time of arrest and yet no sign of her release or pity from those that took in a pregnant mother whose crime was marrying a Biafran activists. She was said to have committed treasonable felony for marrying an activist that was declared wanted for seeking to divide Nigeria. A marriage that happened long before her husband was declared wanted for leading a secessionist movement.
In the year 1999 as her potential husband was still in service; he was served a letter to train all Biafran peaceful forces. When the letter came to him; he agreed and took up the job without hesitation, believing it was his fate to serve- help rise the nation that fell in 1967.
In May 22, 2000, he hosted Biafra flag in Aba and helped the ascension of Ralph Uwazurike as the Biafra leader, he had no interest in leadership but to get a job done in a proper way and according to his professional belief.
In the year 2004; things began to fall apart between him and the man at the helm and all Biafran security personnel followed him while some went the other way and it affected his potential move towards Biafra restoration. He was of the idea that separation of power is needed to avoid absolute corruption.
By 2006 he has established Biafra National Guard and launched Biafra Shadow Government which was a move aimed at drawing Biafra closer. By then; he was marked wanted by the federal government of Nigerian and the game got sour.
He had just concluded his wedding; Miss Onyekachi has just become Mrs Onyekachi Orji and the newly bride to face the journey of marriage. She took in within the first year and in the 9th month of the pregnancy; she was arrested by Nigerian DSS and charged with treasonable felony for being the wife of a suspected felon.
Most people suggested that she was arrested to force his husband who has been declared wanted to surface. But like a joke; she was charged to court with treasonable felony and detained, his husband finally surfaced but she was not released.
Few weeks after her arrest; she gave birth to a bouncing baby girl named Princess Orji in Onitsha prison and she was going to challenge her detention in the court but every effort to get the matter in the court proved futile. After one year in detention; her husband was brought to the same prison with her, they both worked for legal battle.
She had asked her captors what was exactly the ingredient of the treasonable felony she was charged with but none of them could answer. Some whispered that for marrying a man that dare carry out activities to divide Nigeria, that she has committed treasonable felony.
She had stated that she is not a member of Biafra National Guard or MASSOB but just a wife to the leader of one of the groups and as a matter of fact, she is focused on her family and not dividing Nigeria but his captors turned deaf ears.
There were rumors back then in 2006 that she was arrested to stir emotional trauma for her husband who was declared wanted and also to make sure that the entire family of the suspect was affected to serve as lesson to others.
12 years after; the prosecution is unable to prove that she committed treasonable felony by marrying a Biafran activist and in that same twelve years, she has been frustrated that she was not allowed to defend herself in the court following frustrating adjournments.
There in Onitsha prison; she is now the longest awaiting trial inmate with 22years of jail term but 12 years of real time. This man’s inhumanity against man has quite left many speechless and some in tears.
By Ifeanyi Chijioke,
A Practical Journalist/Writer
