WITCH-HUNT CASE IN NIGERIA
The Balewa government, which was rocked by a general strike in the first two weeks of June [see World Outlook, September 11, for eyewitness account], has responded in its own way to the vast working-class movement that swept Nigeria. It has begun a witch
A number of arrests were made, including leading trade unionists, following the strike. Then four of the victims were singled out for trial on charges of "sedition,"
Among the four was Dr, Victor Leonard Allen, senior lecturer in Industrial Science at the University of Leeds and a specialist in trade-~union studies, who was in Africa collecting material and interviewing trade-union leaders, Placed on trial with him were Sidi Khayam and Jonas Kiomasekenagh Abam, both trade unionists, and Olushegun Adebayo, a teacher,
They were accused of "conspiring" between March 1 and June 10 of this year to overthrow the Nigerian federal government by subversive means, with having drawn up "plans" for this purpose, and with having in their possession certain seditious publications,
The publications included an alleged "programme of the Communist Party of Nigeria" and an alleged "Constitution of the Revolutionary Socialist Party."
The Communist party document was said to have declared: "Today Nigeria is a semi-independent, feudalist, capitalist society in the midst of a national democratic revolution nearly two decades ola."
The Revolutionary Socialist party document was said to have declared that. members were "duty bound to understand Marxist theory and follow the country's political trend," The aim of the organi-~ zation was to "prepare and mobilize the working class and other toiling masses\ for the establishment of a workers-farmers Government and for the building of a socialist society."
The trial\ is still dragging on. Almost half the proseoution's case so far has been taken up with arguments and evidense relating to the admissibility of a statement made to the police by Sidi Khayam, Tha defense has argued that the statement is not admissible "because\it was not voluntary."
In a letter tO a friend in England, Allen said: "From my own observations and pxperiences I knew the police were lying yet the magistrate went gut of his way to say that he believed as true the very things I ew were lies. , . I lost all faith in the court and now expedt the worst,"
In another letter three weeks earlier, Allen described a visit to the British High Commissioner. "I put to him details concerning bribery -- said there was strong evidence that he [the magistrate] had actually accepted a bribe as well as having had the government instructions. . . said he could do nothing’ about the matter," ,
The manner in which the prosecution is seeking "evidence" to bolster itscase can be gathered from the following: On Septem» ber @ the Daily Times of Nigeria reported the protest “of counsel for the defense that one of its witnesses. Babu Omojola had been arrested by the police. Two days later the Daily Times reported that "all the accused persons now facing sedition charges. .. were rigorously searched in the early hours of yesterday morning by a team of CID," .
Gerry Jones, a mathematics teacher in Ghana, who decided to visit Victor Allen while visiting Nigeria, was seized by the police, They apparently thought he might be convinced to serve as a witness for the prosecution, Upon returning to Ghana, Jones wrote to a friend in Britain, describing his experience:
"T was taken from the office where I was being questioned at 1:30 a.m approx, JI was taken to a nearby room, which was @ conference room, by three Nigerian officers. When inside one asked me why I was wasting their time; why wasn't I answering their questions. He slapped my face, pushed me against a wall, pulled me back and slapped me again, Two of them then grabbed a hand each and started twisting my thumbs, fingers and wrists, The third was ‘behind hitting my elbows with something wooden, Then he hit my back, pinching and slapping my face and trying to pinch my fingers with a bulldog paper clip.
"By this time I found myself half sitting or lying across one of the benches. The first two still had my hands. The third now got hold of my hair ~- he was careful to gather in as much as he could in one hand. He then pulled me back so that I was lying on the bench, while the other two were exerting pressure to make me rise, The third started banging my head on the bench and punch ing me in the throat. All the time they were shouting questions and- insults at me, Then they started to knock and punch me towards the door, the third man punching and pulling at my testicles, Upon reaching the door I was taken back to the first room for more questioning. I should estimate I was in the room 20 minutes,
"Bruises and broken bruises on back, Cut on neck, throat painful, head bruised, right hand sprained. ..."
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Allen and his fellow defendants are in need of help, both financial and moral. Protests about the case should be sent to
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the Nigerian High Commissioner, 9 Northumberland Avenue, London, W.C.2. ,
Money should be sent directly to Victor Alien, % Barclay's Bank, DCO, 40 Marina, Lagos, Nigeria.
Messages of support should be sent to Victor Allen, % Office of United Kingdom High Commissioner, Lagos, Nigeria.
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