Civil society organisations under the Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS), alongside partner groups nationwide, have raised the alarm over a troubling decline in civic freedoms and human rights in Ebonyi State, demanding the immediate release of Comrade Emmanuel Acha, a prominent human rights defender and Chairperson of the Enugu State Civil Society Network.
Acha was arrested in Enugu in March 2025 and transferred to Abakaliki Prison in Ebonyi State, reportedly in retaliation for a lawsuit he had filed challenging the state’s involvement in the volatile Effium-Ezza land dispute.
Although previous efforts toward peace—including ceasefires and amnesty initiatives—had been undertaken, activists argue that dissent is now being stifled under the guise of conflict resolution.
During a recent briefing, leaders of various organisations voiced their outrage. “This is not just persecution—it’s a message to every activist in Nigeria that speaking out can cost you your liberty,” said Victoria Ugwu, Policy Lead at Spaces for Change. “We will not be intimidated into silence.”
Ikenna Okoronkwo of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) added, “They want the public to believe this is about security, but it’s really about control. Acha dared to seek justice, and now he’s paying the price.”
According to Maryam Balarabe, Executive Director of the Peace Point Development Foundation (PPDF),
“When judges share ethnic ties to parties in a conflict, how can justice prevail? There must be independent oversight.”
Civil society groups allege that Acha was physically assaulted, denied medical care, and held without a warrant—violations of his constitutional rights to dignity, personal liberty, and freedom of expression.
“We will not stand by while the rule of law is trampled. This is a battle for Nigeria’s democratic soul,” declared Samuel Nwachukwu, Communications Officer at FENRAD.
The coalition reiterated six key demands: the immediate and unconditional release of Acha, an investigation into police misconduct, the withdrawal of politically motivated charges, and the establishment of independent monitoring of Ebonyi State’s peace process.
They revealed that a petition submitted to the Governor of Ebonyi State on July 7, 2025, remains unanswered. Additional petitions have been submitted to the National Human Rights Commission, urging urgent investigation and medical intervention.
“What happens to Acha today may happen to any of us tomorrow,” warned Fatima Sodiq, Director of TruORGANIC Initiative for Social and Communities Development. “We must protect our civic space with everything we’ve got.”
The coalition concluded by calling on the media, Nigerian citizens, and the international community to amplify their demands and resist the normalisation of repression.
Members of the coalition include: Spaces for Change (S4C), RULAAC, REJA-Initiative, P4SEDI, OPAISD, C4J, PPDF, FENRAD, BECOLIN, and others.
