Daily Independent Online.
*
Monday, June 28, 2004.
Security tightened around Taylor
By Bassey Inyang
Correspondent, Calabar
Security around former
Liberian President Charles Taylor in Calabar has been shored up at a period he
is being sought by an Abuja High Court.
Justice Stephen Adah
recently ordered Cross River State Governor Donald Duke to produce him to
answer claims by two Nigerians, Emmanuel Egbuna and David Anyaele, who were
amputated in Sierra Leone during its war years.
They are challenging
his refugee status as well as pressing for his conviction for allegedly
violating their human rights through the severing of their limbs by suspected
agents of Taylor.
Duke said recently
that he is not in a position to produce Taylor in court as much as he disclosed
that he had not been served with the court order.
Security has been
tightened around Taylor in an apparent move to forestall his capture by those
after him - including the United States and the United Nations (UN).
Unlike in the past
when a handful of policemen with light arms guarded him, well armed mobile
policemen and an increased number of plain clothes security personnel now
protect him.
Before the search for
Taylor in Nigerian and UN courts became serious he had been driving within
Calabar with light security escort.
Now he moves around in
a convoy of additional vehicles loaded with security personnel and combat ready
policemen. Besides, more combat ready mobile policemen have been deployed to
his residence, close to the governor’s official residence.
One of them muttered
in Hausa: “Kai dan jirida, an hana mutane zuwa nan. Ka gani hali da
muke ciki yanzu”. Meaning: “Hi journalist, they have stopped people from coming to
this place. You know the problem we are in presently”.
