Sowore Demands Release Of 12 Ebonyi Residents Detained For Attending Nnamdi Kanu’s Court Hearing
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Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Department of State Services of illegally detaining 12 Nigerian citizens, most of them from Ebonyi State, at the Wawa Barracks detention facility in Niger State for over four years without charge or trial.
Sowore, in a post shared via his verified 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, said the individuals were arrested in Lokoja, Kogi State, in 2021 while travelling to Abuja to attend a court hearing for the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
He wrote, “Since 2021, the lawless Department of State Services (DSS) has unlawfully detained these citizens at Wawa Barracks. Their only ‘offence’ was travelling to Abuja to attend a court appearance in the case of Nnamdi Kanu.”
Sowore listed the detainees as Wisdom Ezike, Kenneth Ojima, Chinedu Nwoba, Igwe Sampson, David Ogbonnaya, Aja Joseph, Barrister Awoke, Chinoso Oyibe, Eze Joseph, Okezie Fortune, and two unnamed drivers, including one identified as Ikechukwu.
According to the activist, the detainees were picked up by DSS operatives and “have been held in custody since 2021 without trial,” describing it as a gross violation of their constitutional rights.
“These individuals have been illegally detained without charge or trial for over four years, in blatant violation of the fundamental principles of justice and human rights,” Sowore said.
Sowore called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees and urged the Federal Government to compensate them for the prolonged incarceration.
He also demanded that the DSS officers involved be identified and prosecuted.
“The DSS must release them immediately and unconditionally. The Federal Government must adequately compensate the victims, identify the officers responsible, and ensure they are held fully accountable for these egregious violations,” he said.
Describing the detention centre as a “dark site,” Sowore also demanded the closure of the Wawa Barracks facility, alleging it was being used to perpetrate human rights abuses.
“Wawa Barracks detention centre… must be closed down immediately,” he added.
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