Human rights activist Emmanuel Acha has narrated how he was abducted from his home, detained for over nine months, and eventually acquitted of what he described as politically motivated charges, warning that civic space in Nigeria is under serious threat.
Acha recounted that he was abducted from his residence in Enugu at about 5:30 a.m. on March 19, 2025, by heavily armed security operatives without an arrest warrant. He was first taken to the Abakpa Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force before being transferred to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, where he was held at the State CID without access to his family or legal counsel.
According to him, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture and detained incommunicado for two days before being taken to a Magistrate Court in Abakaliki on March 21, 2025, without legal representation. The court ordered his remand at the Abakaliki Custodial Centre, where he spent 271 days under what he described as inhumane conditions.
Acha said the prison was overcrowded, unhygienic, and lacking proper medical care, with inmates exposed to disease, abuse, and prolonged detention without trial. He disclosed that many inmates had been awaiting trial for up to 15 years, and that he witnessed several preventable deaths in custody.
He was charged with promoting inter-communal violence, unlawful possession of firearms, and sponsoring killings. However, during the nine-month trial, the prosecution failed to present credible evidence. The Investigating Police Officer admitted that no weapons were recovered, while key witnesses failed to appear in court.
On December 16, 2025, the court upheld a no-case submission and discharged and acquitted Acha of all charges, with his defence led by Akaraiwe Ikeazor, SAN.
Despite the acquittal, Acha said he suffered severe psychological trauma, loss of income, disruption of his human rights work, and financial hardship for his family. He noted that he has received no compensation for his wrongful detention.
He called on the Nigerian government to compensate victims of unlawful detention and hold security agencies accountable, warning that activists remain vulnerable to intimidation and harassment.
Acha commended civil society organisations including Spaces for Change (S4C), the Action Group on Free Civic Space, and the Fund for Global Human Rights (FGHR) for their support, and reaffirmed his commitment to human rights advocacy in Nigeria.
