Worried stiff about what presumably is the untoward fate that allegedly befell one of their own in the course of executing critical national duties recently, members of the Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA) have called for reassurances on the safety and wellbeing of Professor Ikemefuna Uzochukwu.
A leading pharmacist, Uzochukwu was the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Abia State, South-East Nigeria, during the February 25, 2023, Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Following the elections, Uzochukwu, who sought a review of the results, alleged that he was “abducted and detained” by security agencies during the collation and announcement of results.
In a statement on Friday, the NAPA National Chairman, Dr. Ezekiel Akinkumi, appealed to agencies of government that were concerned with handling the matter and the general public, to let fairness and justice prevail.
The statement read in part: “The news of the abduction, forceful detention, false imprisonment and threat to the life of one of our members, who serves as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Abia State, Professor Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu by the Police and the Directorate of State Services in Abia State, has come to our attention.
“We have also got the news that he was asked to stay away from the Commission’s Office in Abia until further notice, without any official statement as to his particular offence.
“While we condemn all forms of electoral offences in strong terms, we wish to state categorically that we find the treatment meted out to Prof. Uzochukwu very strange and we wish to condemn it out-rightly.
“Prof. Uzochukwu is a pharmacist and a renowned Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry of international repute.
“As pharmacists and trainers of pharmacists, our core attributes include unblemished integrity, accuracy and strict adherence to ethics, rules and standards.
“We have zero tolerance for all forms of misconduct. That is why we give the populace medicines instead of poison.
“We can vouch for these attributes in Prof. Uzochukwu and that is why we are greatly concerned with the treatment meted out to him as well as his present situation.
“We, therefore, appeal to agencies of government that are concerned with handling this matter and the general public, to let fairness and justice prevail on this issue.
“And to stop the unnecessary media trial he is being unfairly subjected to.’’
Expressing great concern about the treatment allegedly meted out to Uzochukwu and his present situation, NAPA added: “We need to be assured of his safety.’’
The umbrella body for all pharmacists working in tertiary educational institutions and research institutes across Nigeria, NAPA claims its main aim is to serve as a support for development, capacity building and enhancement of members’ welfare using the instruments of communication, training and exposure to opportunities.
NAPA is a technical group of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) solely responsible in training pharmacy students in various pharmacy schools across the country.
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