By Okechukwu Nwanguma
The case of Mr. Eme Alfred Friday has become a chilling example of how rogue elements within the Nigeria Police Force misuse their positions to brutalise citizens, pervert justice, and exploit state institutions for personal gain.
But even more troubling is the way the very ministry charged with defending justice now appears complicit in evading accountability.
Mr. Friday was arrested without a warrant on 26th June 2025 by a police team led by Supol John Ilia. He was secretly held at Area B Command, Apapa, Lagos, and later transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS), Enugu, under the command of Supol Chuks Odumu. For weeks, his family was denied access, while officers extorted money, fabricated confessions, and threatened that unless petitions were withdrawn, Mr. Friday would be “charged with any offence they chose.”
After more than a month of incommunicado detention, he was arraigned on terrorism charges. The case rests on a coerced statement—not authored by him—and a total of ₦7,500 he had transferred to a carpenter, which officers absurdly twisted into “terrorism financing.”
Outraged by this abuse, the family filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Inspector-General of Police, Commissioners of Police, and the AKS Commander. The matter came up on 24th July 2025 but was adjourned until October because the IGP only acknowledged service days before.
Yet, a deeper scandal now looms: the bailiff has tried repeatedly to serve the Ministry of Justice, but staff have been absent for two consecutive days. No one is available to accept service of the court processes. This looks less like a coincidence and more like deliberate evasion of justice.
If the Ministry of Justice—the institution that should stand as the guardian of fairness and legality—shirks its duty, what hope remains for the ordinary Nigerian? How can citizens expect accountability from rogue police officers when the ministry itself dodges responsibility?
This evasive conduct is not neutral. It strengthens impunity. By refusing service, the Ministry of Justice becomes complicit in the unlawful acts of police officers who abduct, detain, extort, and frame innocent citizens.
Why This Matters
This case is bigger than one man’s ordeal. It is about the credibility of our justice system. Every day that the Ministry evades service, it sends a dangerous message—that the state can bend the law to protect its own, while citizens are left defenceless.
The Police Service Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, and the courts must rise to the occasion. The implicated officers—Supol John Ilia, Supol Chuks Odumu, and DC Obiora Okonkwo—must face a thorough investigation and, if culpable, dismissal and prosecution. The fabricated charges against Mr. Friday must be reviewed and struck out. And the Ministry of Justice must end this charade and fulfil its constitutional duty.
When justice is delayed, it is denied. But when justice is evaded, it is destroyed.
MR OKECHUKWU NWANGUMA IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RULAAC
