Decide IPOB plea to protest against detention of 2 Nigerians by UP police: HC to Delhi Police

The Delhi High Court Friday asked the police to decide within three days the representation by an organisation for people from Biafra, a region in Nigeria, seeking permission to peacefully protest outside Uttar Pradesh (UP) Bhawan here against alleged illegal detention of two Biafrans in that state.

The Delhi High Court Friday asked the police to decide within three days the representation by an organisation for people from Biafra, a region in Nigeria, seeking permission to peacefully protest outside Uttar Pradesh (UP) Bhawan here against alleged illegal detention of two Biafrans in that state. Justice Navin Chawla asked Delhi Police to consider the plea, seeking permission to protest, moved by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which had claimed that the two Nigerian nationals were arrested by UP Police and have been illegally detained since September last year. Delhi government additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal, appearing for Delhi Police, said the court asked the agency to decide the representation within three days and disposed of IPOB's petition. The petition, filed through advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra and Kriti Kumari, had contended the two Nigerians have been "illegally" detained at Surajpur police lines, 49 battalion in Greater Noida district, for the last more than eight months without anyone, including lawyers, being allowed to meet them. It had also claimed that no information has been made available by UP police about the case against the two or the reasons for their arrest.

To protest against the UP police action and the state government, the IPOB had sent a request to Delhi Police on June 16 for permission to hold a peaceful protest outside the UP Bhawan here on June 23 or any date after that, the plea had said. However, as no response was received by organisation from Delhi Police, it had moved the high court.