Fifty-seven civil society organisations, human rights groups and community advocates have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Niger Delta human rights defender, Daniel Ezekiel, who was arrested in Abuja and is currently being held at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID), Abuja.
Ezekiel was reportedly taken from his residence in Life Camp, Abuja, on Friday, September 18, 2026, by men who did not identify themselves in a manner he could independently verify.
He was subsequently held at the Agwa Cement Police Station before being transferred to the Force CID in Abuja.
As of the time of the coalition’s statement, no criminal charge had been publicly disclosed against Ezekiel, while the circumstances surrounding his arrest and the authority under which it was carried out remained unclear.
The arrest came about two weeks after a petition dated September 3, 2026, reportedly filed by lawyers representing businessman Chief Ekomieyefa Uduboh before the Inspector-General of Police and the National Cybercrime Centre.
The petition reportedly accused Ezekiel and another individual of publishing allegedly defamatory Facebook posts in late August.
The allegations contained in the petition have not been established by a court, and Ezekiel remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.
For months, Ezekiel has publicly raised allegations concerning unlawful detention, torture, forced labour and intimidation in the Niger Delta. His allegations have included claims involving Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and individuals he alleges are linked to him and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.
Ezekiel has also made allegations involving Niger Delta figure Ateke Tom, popularly known as Ateke, as part of his broader claims concerning alleged abuses and the activities of powerful individuals operating in the region.
The allegations concerning Tompolo, Ateke and other individuals have not been independently established by a court, and those named in connection with the claims are entitled to respond to or challenge them through lawful processes.
Through petitions to national and international human rights organisations, security agencies and government bodies, Ezekiel has further alleged that individuals and entities operating in the Niger Delta are responsible for unlawful detention, torture, forced labour, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and intimidation.
The coalition said Ezekiel had supported some of the allegations with photographs, audio and video recordings, as well as testimonies from alleged victims and their families.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Juwon Sanwolu, Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, questioned the circumstances surrounding Ezekiel’s detention.
“When a whistleblower is detained before the allegations he raised are examined, the public is left to ask whose interests the system is protecting,” Sanwolu said.
The coalition expressed grave concern over what it described as the questionable circumstances of the arrest, particularly the reported involvement of unidentified men and the subsequent transfer of Ezekiel between police facilities.
It cited Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as legal instruments protecting personal liberty and prohibiting arbitrary arrest and detention.
“A warrantless arrest by unidentified men, followed by an unexplained transfer between police locations, raises serious questions of legality,” the coalition stated.
The organisations also raised concerns about the use of cybercrime provisions in connection with alleged defamatory publications, arguing that the use of criminal law against critics and human rights defenders could have implications for freedom of expression.
They cited Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protect freedom of expression.
“The ECOWAS Court of Justice has previously found Nigeria’s cyberstalking provision in violation of that freedom,” the coalition added.
The coalition further warned that the involvement of security agencies in disputes involving private individuals could create fear among citizens who report alleged wrongdoing.
“This Coalition believes that if the police can be used to settle private scores with human rights defenders, no citizen who exposes wrongdoing is safe,” it stated.
The 57 organisations consequently demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Ezekiel by the Nigeria Police Force.
They also called on the Inspector-General of Police to publicly disclose the legal basis for the arrest, identify the officers involved and state the police unit handling the petition reportedly connected to the case.
The coalition demanded that Ezekiel be granted immediate access to his lawyers and family and receive any necessary medical attention, while urging the authorities to guarantee his physical safety.
It also called on the Federal Government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission, to ensure an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture, unlawful detention and forced labour raised by Ezekiel.
The groups further demanded protection for witnesses and complainants who may participate in any investigation arising from the allegations.
“All parties named in these matters should submit to lawful, transparent processes, and should not use the security agencies as instruments of intimidation,” the coalition stated.
The coalition said it would closely monitor developments and was prepared to mobilise national and international mechanisms, including the United Nations and African human rights systems, if Ezekiel was not released and the allegations he raised were not investigated.
The case has consequently drawn renewed attention to the protection of whistleblowers and human rights defenders in Nigeria, particularly where allegations concern influential individuals and powerful interests in the Niger Delta.
The circumstances surrounding Ezekiel’s arrest, the petition reportedly filed against him and the allegations he has made against individuals in the region are expected to remain subjects of public and legal scrutiny as calls grow for transparency over his detention and an impartial examination of the competing claims.