The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC), demanding an investigation into what it described as a “grave case of police misconduct” involving officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos and Enugu States.
In the petition, signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, and dated August 2025, RULAAC alleged that Mr. Eme Alfred Friday was unlawfully arrested, detained incommunicado, extorted, and later framed up on terrorism charges by officers who acted with “impunity and disregard for the Constitution.”
According to Nwanguma, Mr. Friday was arrested without a warrant at his Lagos residence on June 26, 2025, by a police team led by Supol John Ilia.
His family was allegedly misled about his whereabouts before later discovering him in handcuffs at Area B Command, Apapa. Officers, however, reportedly denied responsibility and refused access to him.
Nwanguma further claimed that the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS), Enugu, eventually admitted holding him, during which period he was allegedly extorted. Payments included ₦6,000 for toiletries and ₦250,000, allegedly facilitated by one Mr. Nweke Ogbonna Chuks on behalf of DC Obiora Okonkwo of Zone 2 Lagos and Supol Chuks Odumu, Commander of AKS, Enugu.
On August 4, 2025, Mr. Friday was arraigned before an Enugu Magistrate Court under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He was accused of supporting IPOB/ESN, charges which he has since denied.
RULAAC alleged that his so-called confession was written by Supol Odumu and signed under duress. The financial transaction cited as evidence of terrorism financing was, according to Mr. Friday, merely ₦7,500 sent to a carpenter for personal reasons, unrelated to terrorism.
The petition also accused police officers of denying Mr. Friday access to legal counsel and deliberately delaying court documents to obstruct his defence. To date, no prosecutor has been assigned to the case.
RULAAC further alleged that when petitions and a fundamental rights suit were filed, Supol Odumu threatened to keep Mr. Friday in detention indefinitely unless the petitions were withdrawn, warning that “any offence they chose to charge him with would become his offence.”
The rights group urged the PSC to, investigate the conduct of Supol John Ilia, Supol Chuks Odumu, DC Obiora Okonkwo, and other complicit officers, recommend disciplinary and criminal prosecution for those found culpable, review and dismiss the terrorism charges against Mr. Friday and Guarantee protection for his family and lawyers against further intimidation.
“This case illustrates how rogue officers abuse national security laws for personal enrichment, weaponise the courts to cover misconduct, and trample on the rights of citizens,” Nwanguma stated.
The petition was copied to the Inspector-General of Police and the National Human Rights Commission.
