Civil Society Organizations are demanding the immediate release from detention, of an activist, Emmanuel Acha, who is being held in the Abakaliki Correctional Centre in Ebonyi State.
Acha, who has presently spent 90 days in incarceration, was arrested and detained in the aftermath of a disputed land claim between the Effium and Ezza tribe of Ebonyi State.
He was said to have dragged the government of Ebonyi State to court in suit number FHC/AI/CS/FHR/221/24, which seeks to protect his people from losing their ancestral land to the Ezza.
The Effium and Ezza had historically disputed ownership of land in the Ohaukwu local government area of the state. The state government tried to resolve the conflict through a Bishop Nnachi Okoro committee in 2024. The same government, however, jettisoned the report of the committee and commissioned another report upon which it relied on to demarcate the disputed land.
Acha was said to have protested the government’s action by heading straight to court.
However, on the 16th of April, 2025, while at his base in Enugu, where he serves as chairperson of the Enugu State Civil Society Network, Acha was arrested, brutalised and then presented before a judge over allegation of arms possession, which makes bail difficult.
He has since remained in prison for over 90 days.
Reacting to the development, a coalition of civil society organisations under the banner of Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFC), has petitioned the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, on the plight of Acha, expressing deep concern over the manner of his arrest, prolonged detention, and prosecution.
According to the group, the whole proceeding reeks of malicious prosecution, especially as the claim of gun possession was not substantiated in the charge.
Addressing newsmen on the matter, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, demanded Acha’s release, while urging the governor to protect the rights of Acha from some of the state officials who wanted to ‘teach him a lesson’ for daring to challenge the Ebonyi State Government in court.
“We acknowledge the government’s interventions in the lingering Effium-Ezza conflict, including the 2023 ceasefire agreement, the Bishop Michael N. Okoro Peace Committee (2024), the 2025 amnesty and deradicalisation efforts, and the enactment of an Executive Bill on the disputed land. While commending these efforts, we firmly reject all forms of violence and criminality associated with the conflict.
“However, we are deeply troubled by the arrest of Comrade Acha for merely exercising his constitutional rights by filing a civil suit (Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/FHR/221/24) to protect the rights of the Effium people. He has been detained since April 2025 and is now facing criminal trial in (Charge No: HKW/27C/2025), with trial scheduled to begin on July 10, 2025.
“Despite multiple efforts, he has been denied bail. In a democracy, citizens have the right to criticize government actions lawfully. Sections 39(1) and 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantee freedom of expression and access to the courts for the protection of civil rights. We believe Comrade Acha’s continued incarceration is a clear violation of his Constitutional rights to liberty, fair hearing, and free expression,” he said.
The group demanded that the governor holds public officials involved in the abuse of power against Acha responsible, calling on independent mediators, civil society groups, and international human rights observers to monitor the peace process and the implementation of the state’s white paper on the conflict.
Nwanguma warned that Acha’s treatment reflects a dangerous retrogression in Nigeria’s democratic values and the lengths state and non-state actors go to silence lawful dissent.
He posited, “In a democratic society, citizens must be free to question government policies, challenge injustice, and seek redress through the courts.
“Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria affirms the right to freedom of expression and opinion. Section 6(6)(b) further guarantees the judicial powers of the courts in protecting civil rights and obligations. These constitutional guarantees are now under threat in Ebonyi State.”
