57 Civil Society Groups Demand Release of Niger Delta Activist Daniel Ezekiel

A coalition of 57 civil society organisations, human rights groups and community advocates has called on Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu to immediately and unconditionally release Niger Delta activist Daniel Ezekiel. According to SaharaReporters, Ezekiel was taken from his home in Life Camp, Abuja, on September 18 by men he said did not identify themselves in a manner he could independently verify. He was reportedly taken first to Agwa Cement Police Station before being transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja. As of the time of the report, no criminal charge against Ezekiel had been publicly disclosed. The reported arrest followed a September 3 petition by lawyers representing businessman Chief Ekomieyefa Uduboh, popularly known as KFT. The petition reportedly accused Ezekiel and another individual of publishing allegedly defamatory Facebook posts. Those allegations have not been established by a court, and Ezekiel remains entitled to the presumption of innocence. Ezekiel has previously made allegations concerning unlawful detention, torture, forced labour and intimidation involving Niger Delta figures and entities, including Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited. The allegations remain claims requiring independent investigation and have not been established by a court. The coalition is demanding that police disclose the legal basis for Ezekiel's arrest, identify the officers involved and provide him with immediate access to his lawyers, family and any necessary medical care. It is also calling on the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Human Rights Commission to independently investigate the allegations raised by Ezekiel. The groups said they would consider approaching national and international human-rights mechanisms if the activist is not released and the allegations he raised are not investigated. The Nigeria Police Force has previously said under IGP Disu that accountability, human-rights compliance and professionalism are priorities of ongoing police reforms. Source: SaharaReporters, with additional cross-checking against Nigerian Observatory for Human Rights and Nigeria Police Force records.