Nonso was never implicated by any of the alleged killers; he has never met them before and didn’t sell Rohypnol to any of them. The alleged killers have been apprehended, Nonso should not take the medicine for another man’s crime.
If you visit the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Higher Ground parish in Oluti, near Agboju in Lagos, and ask for the Pastor of the Youth Fellowship, you won’t find him. His name is Nonso Maduakor and he has been in detention since the 20th of August 2012.
On the 11th of July 1987, Mrs Maduakor gave birth to Nonso, her second child, a year after her first daughter. The secondary school teacher lost her husband to death in 2004, a few months before Nonso was admitted to study Pharmacy at the Igbinedion University in Edo State. Nonso had finished from Kings College, Lagos, in 2003 and his WAEC certificate was grade B in all subjects except Igbo in which he scored an E.
At the Igbinedion University, Nonso was the best graduating student in his class and president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students, Okada Chapter. Nonso is an outspoken Chelsea fan and that’s the only offense some of his friends have against him, minus his dull coloured clothes. He was a leader at Christian Fellowship International, a campus arm of Church of God Mission Inc. Not to mention the recommended glasses he had to wear since primary three at Learning Field Primary School, Satellite Town. You can imagine how uncool that was amongst boys but he succeeded in making those glasses look cool.
The Igbinedion University had its accreditation for her pharmacy degree programme delayed for years. Nonso received provisional registration from the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria in March 2012 to enable him commence the compulsory one year internship. Mrs. Maduakor was happy, her son was one of the first set of pharmacists from the University and they said he was the best.
In May 2012, Nonso began his internship with Oxpharm, one of the largest chains of goods and drugs stores in Festac Town. Mrs. Maduakor watched her son leave for work from their Satellite Town residence and knew that he would be a licensed pharmacist after a year. Until then and according to the rules of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Nonso would train under a Superintendent Pharmacist. On the 20th of August 2012, Nonso did not return home after his morning shift. At the moment, Mrs Maduakor is about to lose her son to the jailers for a very long time.
On Monday, 20th of August 2012, an aged policeman in plainclothes arrived at Oxpharm. He wanted to buy Rohypnol for his sleepless nights. He told Nonso a lie about a car accident and his inability to sleep at night due to body pains, restlessness and nightmares. The old man was silent about his police badge, irrelevant information to buy drugs but essential to set up another man. Nonso sold him a sachet of Paracetamol and Rohypnol. Flunitrazepam is the compound name of Rohypnol and it is used to manage anxiety disorders, insomnia and restlessness, and also prescribed with an antihypertensive to patients with High BP. It is also a prescription drug like most of the drugs on sale in any pharmacy. And like most of the sales in Nigeria’s pharmacies, it was sold without a prescription note from a medical doctor.
What you didn’t expect was the grateful buyer and his colleagues at the Nigerian Police to return, after ten minutes, to arrest Nonso for the murder of Cynthia Osokogu who was killed on the 22nd of July 2012. She was the daughter of Major General Frank Osokogu (rtd) and had been invited to Cosmilla Hotel at Amuwo Odofin in Lagos by her Facebook friends. This was where she was raped and murdered, a fact unknown to Nonso and his mother.
Nonso was never implicated by any of the alleged killers; he has never met them before and didn’t sell Rohypnol to any of them. The alleged killers have been apprehended, Nonso should not take the medicine for another man’s crime. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has issued a statement dated 30th of August concerning Nonso’s case: the sale of drugs without prescription is not a criminal offense but a professional breach of ethics. “The law provides that such matters are dealt with by the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, a regulatory agency of the Federal Government established by Cap. P.17 LFN 2004.”
Elijah Briggs, 25, first class graduate of Law, LL.M (Southampton) and currently serving at the Nigerian Law School in Yenagoa, was roommates with Nonso at the university and spoke of Nonso’s character and disposition, so did his close friend and fellow pharmacist Funmi Oshinowo. Nonso’s name is associated with the above names and other responsible names attached to this document and do not belong to the Ikoyi Prisons’ roaster. Brandishing him with crimes he didn’t commit is the same as brandishing his friends, colleagues and family. This unfair and unjust imprisonment of Nonso is a crime against humanity. Today an innocent man is in jail and you might be the next.
We, the friends of Chukwunonso Maduakor are saying: Nonso is our friend and we are not friends with a murderer.
Signed
Amatesiro Dore, 24, Writer.
Elijah Briggs, 25, Lawyer.
Funmi Oshinowo, 25, Pharmacist.
Oluwaseyi Adeoshun, 26, Computer Scientist.
Onatufe Edebi, 25, Medical Doctor.
Aladokiye Gabriel Whyte, 25, Lawyer.
Chinedu Blaise Okoroafor, 26, Lawyer.
Stephen Menkiti, 24, Engineer.
Imoh Edem, 24, Political Analyst.
Adeola Adefisoye, 23, Pharmacist.
Obaze Osaze, 24, Pharmacist.
Iretunde Oshinowo, 30, Urban Planning.
Jennifer Ifebigh, 22, Pharmacist.
Henry Iloanugo, 24, Pharmacist.
Obiajulu Obi, 25, Pharmacist.
Ifeanyi Nwaizu, 25, Microbiologist.
Ovie Olakpe, 25, Lawyer.
Justice Shall Prevail…pharm Nonso is innocent#savenonso
I've known nonso for about 2years now. Right from his days working at Raforn Pharmacy on 24road. The Nonso I know won't kill an ant talk less of drugging a girl. Only in Nigeria do we jail the innocent and leave the guilty to roam the streets. There are murders everywhere by politicians and this young man is being jailed for being defrauded. As a graduate of Igbinedion University and friend to nonso,the commisioner of police and Inspector General should leave both pharmacists out of their investigation and set them free. Do not tarnish the image of these young men before they start life.
I'm a student of Iginedion but I never knew Nonso personally but what I know is that Nigeria has never imposed the law of medical prescription being presented before purchase of drugs outside a hospital.But the fact that they want to charge someone based on this law now is simply ridiculous.I appeal for the release of Nonso an innocent man being held by the cluches of a non-existent law
Why will the innocent suffer pls release Nonso he is innocent
It's so unfortunate that an innocent man like Nonso will be in jail for an offense he never committed. May the almighty God vindicate him and set him free. I just hope that able men and women in this society will stand up and fight against any form of unjust treatment by the security agencies in this our very corrupt country.
An innocent man shouldn't b judged unlawfully,God will fight for nonso maduakor….if u know him,u would agree with me that he can't hurt a fly.
@ndifreke if you can put aside the dictionary and write less ambiguously, maybe your appeal will sound more convincing..you should consider your audience when writing..there are more average readers…Nonso will be fine,its just a matter of time but God dey shaa!
God ve mercy on nonso
Such a sad story!How many innocent souls have wasted in our prisons!
Dis is so not fair, Nonso doesn't deserve dis. We will continue to pray for him, d God he serves will vindicate him.
I have always upheld nonso as a destined lad with a lot of intergrity,not because he was my junior @ kings college,and contemporary @ university,not because of his leadership positions held @ all levels of his life,but because of his high index of humanity,and unflinching desire to lend a helping hand,I was raised with chilvary and truth and there nonso was,a step higher
The nigerian police is a portmanteau of evil,they are ruthless to even their own,i know that they can't even train proper prosecutors who can read charges to themselve else nonso wouldn't be in this conundrum,with verve and vigor,let's all play a role to get this young man out of this dilemna.
I would rally all lawyers starting with his contemporaries @ KC and IUO,to build support againts this hydraheaded monster called the nigerian police,until the charges are dropped,they would not no peace,they messed with the wrong one,floreat
One thing i know in dis Life is †̥hα̲̅†̥ anything U̶̲̥̅̊ did 2ur fellow human being MUST surely cum bak 2u 1 day. NONSO will never die, instead d policeman will die 4 NONSO. God is not A Kid @ all. NONSO, our prayers will set u free. God is ur Strength.
It's really sad that the police will lie and even break the law to do harm to those they have sworn to protect. This is why the health care system will continue to be perceived wicked cos when you go out of your way to help a man old enough to be your father based on compassionate grounds, this is how you get rewarded. I'm inclined to say that it's rather sad that one's empathy has been used to do him bad. But one thing I'm sure about is that many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him from all. Nonso's heavenly father will fight this course and win. I know that in my heart of hearts.
We won't give up,till Nonso is freed… Tanks to all Friends of Nonso. Its an honour to fight for this man of intergrity. I wish I could do more than writing. Its well,Nonso!
I felt very sad for the victim and her family when I saw the news. But the law have to be serve, the so called Nigeria corrupted police and the court don't have to take the law into their hands because a generals daughter is involved. They have arrested the good 4 nothing fools that commited this crime, please let Nonso go. Niaja police please differentiate white from black for once and save this young mans life. Peace
If I were in a coffin and I I had d gift of another life, I would stake dat life 4 nonso's integrity. I know Nonso personally
I know him to an extent and some if not most of his aforementioned friends that signed this plea are very good friends of mine and are also practicing born again Christians. I say this; Nigerian police is decayed and has never been known for a just detention for I have been a victim of their unwarranted arrests and extortion of money in the name of bail. Release an innocent Young man who has done nothing but fall prey to an old police fool who decided to play pranks on him whilst looking for a fall guy for an atrocity committed weeks ago prior to his unwarranted arrest.
If I were in a coffin, and I had d gift of another life, I could stake dat life for nonso's integrity.
Seriously, this could happen to anyone. An innocent guy is being framed. How does selling a drug to someone translate 2 murdering a lady dt died a month before. His only crime was being too compassionate and thereby breeching the ethics of his profession. Please,let's put him in our prayers.
You see,It is indeed pathetic to read and experience things of this nature in Nigeria,
No thorough investiigation has been carried to ascertain who the real culprits for this obnoxious crimes is,the next thing is court all because it is an Army General's daughter that is involved,besides,what was the Late Cynthia doing with *a sex Toy* and such a huge sum of money and jewelleries
,All the press and the police could say was that she went to see her facebook friends(all the way from Jos to Lagos) for business proposals,what business?
I'm sure and I believe God that Justice shall be done,Pharm. Nonso will be heard and his right cannot unjustly be infringed upon.
Wicickednes in high places. God will rescue u Nonso. It is well.
Wicickednes in high places. God will rescue u Nonso. It is well.
God pls av mercy on him
God pls av mercy on him
God pls av mercy on him
God punish the policemen who did this & they have done it to so many innocent souls
God punish the policemen who did this & they have done it to so many innocent souls
You know what,I feel bad for Nonso but this Ages and jobs,22 pharmacist,25lawyer this doesn't make the story look good,when did thy finish uni and finish pharmacy school?wow only I in Africa I swear please these ages need to be 28 and above,when did they finish school?when dud they do their residency??are you serious?
Jude, the above named people are real and some of them I know including Briggs and Whyte. They were my junior in Igbinedion University and I am 26. I am a Biochemist and about completing a post graduate degree in biomedical Science here in the UK. It's not their fault that they finished on time neither is it mine. In fact, if not for unforeseen circumstances, I could have been a medical doctor at 23 been young and having a professional degree int a fallacy rather it show the brilliance of the kind of friend that I keep including the detained Nonso.