Three Nigerian civil society organisations have called on authorities in the Southeast to protect political participation and civic freedoms, citing recent reports of intimidation, disrupted opposition gatherings and alleged misuse of security institutions as the 2027 general elections approach.
In a joint statement issued today, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), the Virgin Heart Foundation (VHF) and the Vivacious Development Initiative (VIDI) said recent developments reinforce warnings made at a closed-door accountability dialogue on civic space in Owerri, Imo State, on 23 September 2026. That meeting was supported by the Fund for Global Human Rights through the Action Group on Free Civic Space.
The dialogue was part of a project titled “From Silencing to Accountability: Challenging the Securitisation of Civic Space in Southeast Nigeria,” which covers Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. The groups said its central conclusion was that lasting security depends on lawful conduct, accountable institutions and citizens’ freedom to organise, report, criticise and take part in public affairs without intimidation.
In Enugu, the groups pointed to a reported attack on a political meeting in Obuoffia-Awkunanaw and the subsequent prosecution and remand of Ani Chidi. Police say Chidi was prosecuted over alleged cyberbullying and threats arising from his publications, not for recording the attack.
The consortium said that explanation should be tested through independent scrutiny of the evidence and proceedings, and that authorities must show progress in investigating the underlying violence and protecting witnesses. The statement also referred to the late-October withdrawal of a venue booked for an opposition town hall in Enugu. Organisers alleged political interference, while Governor Peter Mbah has denied directing the withdrawal. The groups said responsibility should be established through evidence.
In Ebonyi, allegations reported in early November include intimidation of opposition candidates, the detention of a party women’s leader and interference with a political organiser’s business premises. State authorities have disputed claims of political repression, and the Police have affirmed their neutrality. The consortium said the allegations require independent investigation and that official assurances must be backed by verifiable protection and lawful custody practices.
In Anambra, RULAAC has intervened over the 17 October incident in Achalla. Reports concern the shooting and disappearance of a man identified as Chibuzor, also known as “Ability,” and the arrest and alleged brutalisation of Mr. Jude Nwoye Anokwu and others, along with alleged interference with police bail.
Mr. Ken Emeakayi, Special Adviser on Community Security to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, has disputed allegations that the state-supported security outfit was involved in private disputes. The groups called for an investigation independent of those implicated, immediate clarification of Chibuzor’s whereabouts and condition, and preservation of custody, operational and medical records. They noted that the incident arose from a reported land dispute but said its civic implications are substantial.
In Imo, the statement cited the October detention, and later release on bail, of lawyer and human-rights defender Chinedu Agu, following a petition connected with an internal Nigerian Bar Association dispute. The consortium said his account should be fairly examined alongside the petition and the Police response, and that lawyers, journalists and defenders must remain free to raise public-interest concerns.
The groups acknowledged that the incidents differ in their facts and procedural status, but said each demands the same institutional response: establish what happened, protect those at risk, disclose the lawful basis for coercive action and ensure consequences where wrongdoing is proved.
The consortium warned that shrinking civic space can undermine political competition long before polling day. It said violence, threats, selective arrests, discriminatory venue restrictions and pressure on community leaders can stop citizens from hearing alternatives and making free choices.
“No political party owns a state,” the statement said, adding that public officials cannot commit an electorate to a candidate or party. It described a governor’s endorsement as a political opinion that does not bind voters, and said opposition organising is legitimate and must be protected on equal terms.
The groups set out ten immediate demands. They called for equal protection of lawful political activity, with any restriction legally grounded, necessary, proportionate and open to challenge, and for impartial investigation of violence and intimidation by the Inspector-General of Police and oversight bodies, including any official complicity. They urged an end to the partisan use of public institutions, funds, vehicles and regulatory powers, and stronger liberty and judicial safeguards, including lawyer, family and medical access for detainees and close scrutiny of remand and bail.
The consortium also demanded reliable records of everyone taken into custody and urgent investigation of alleged disappearances, along with protection for journalists, witnesses and human-rights defenders against reprisals. It called on political leaders to stop recruiting, financing or arming young people for intimidation, and asked for inclusive participation for women, young people, students, persons with disabilities and rural communities. It further urged protection of citizens from coercion by armed groups, criminal gangs and other non-state actors, and a regional early-warning and response system, working through the Southeast Human Rights Bureau, with focal persons designated by INEC, the Police, the National Human Rights Commission and justice institutions.
The consortium noted that the September dialogue called for institutional focal persons and confirmed referral channels within 30 days, a period that has now elapsed. It asked participating institutions to report on implementation, including designated contacts, complaints received, action taken, protection provided and outstanding cases. It also requested initial written responses from relevant authorities within 14 days of the statement, and said threats to life and cases of missing persons require immediate action. A follow-up review is expected within the six months envisaged by the dialogue.
“The test of civic freedom is how institutions treat those who question power,” the groups said. “The test of democratic security is whether public power protects everyone lawfully, professionally and impartially.”
