A Plateau State accountability activist, Nansel Selnan Lar, has alleged that he was repeatedly arrested and detained for 46 days after seeking access to government records relating to the management of public funds and execution of development projects in Langtang North and Langtang South Local Government Areas of the state.
Lar, a resident of Langtang North, said his ordeal began after he submitted a series of requests under the Freedom of Information Act, seeking access to records concerning local government budgets, capital projects, procurement processes, payments and the implementation of public infrastructure in the two local government areas.
According to the activist, the information requests were intended to enable him and other concerned citizens establish how public funds were being utilised and whether projects budgeted for the communities were actually executed.
He said the records he sought included details of budget implementation, capital expenditure, procurement documentation, payment records and other financial information relating to government projects.
Lar also said he requested information on public infrastructure projects, including schools, healthcare facilities, roads, boreholes, markets and other community development projects in Langtang North and Langtang South.
However, the activist alleged that rather than being granted access to the records, he was arrested on multiple occasions and taken to the Plateau State Criminal Investigation Department, State CID, three times.
He further alleged that he was eventually detained at the Jos Custodial Centre for 46 days before he was released.
Lar disclosed details of his experience in an account made available to human rights advocates, expressing concern that citizens seeking information about public spending could face intimidation, arrest or prolonged detention.
He maintained that his requests were made through lawful channels and were focused on government activities and expenditures affecting residents of the two local government areas.
“I believe this experience raises serious concerns about the protection of citizens who peacefully seek accountability from public officials,” Lar said.
The activist’s case had earlier attracted public attention following reports that he was remanded in connection with online posts demanding accountability in Plateau State’s local government areas.
In July, a Plateau State High Court reportedly granted Lar bail in the sum of N1 million.
Reacting to the development, former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, called for the activist to be prosecuted if the authorities believed he had committed an offence, rather than being persecuted for his activities.
Dalung was quoted as saying, “Prosecute him, don’t persecute him.”
Lar is now seeking the intervention of human rights organisations and civil society groups to investigate the circumstances surrounding his arrests, detention and court proceedings.
He wants the organisations to determine whether his constitutional rights and other rights guaranteed under Nigerian law were violated and, where necessary, provide legal and human rights assistance.
The activist is also calling for greater scrutiny of the manner in which government institutions handle Freedom of Information requests, particularly requests concerning public funds, procurement and the implementation of development projects.
He said citizens who use lawful means to demand transparency should be protected rather than intimidated.
Lar claimed that he possesses documentary evidence capable of assisting any investigation into his allegations.
According to him, the documents include copies of his Freedom of Information requests, correspondence exchanged with the Langtang North and Langtang South Local Government Councils, responses received from the councils, budget documents, project records, as well as court and detention-related documents.
He said the documents could help establish the nature of the information requested, the responses received from the relevant institutions and the circumstances surrounding his arrests and detention.
The activist argued that no citizen should be subjected to intimidation, arrest or prolonged detention merely for requesting information about the management of public resources through lawful means.
His allegations, however, have not independently established the circumstances surrounding each of the arrests, the specific offences or charges allegedly brought against him, the authorities responsible for his detention or the precise legal basis for the reported 46-day detention.
It also remains unclear from his account how each of the Freedom of Information requests was formally processed by the relevant local government authorities, whether all the requested documents existed in the form sought and whether separate legal proceedings arose from the individual arrests.
The relevant local government councils and security authorities would therefore need to respond to the allegations and clarify the circumstances surrounding Lar’s arrests, detention and the handling of his information requests.
The controversy has nevertheless renewed debate over transparency in the management of public resources and the ability of Nigerian citizens and civil society actors to obtain information about government expenditure and development projects.
Lar’s case has also drawn attention to the broader question of how public institutions should respond when citizens demand records relating to budgets, procurement, payments and projects funded with public resources.
The activist is urging human rights and civil society organisations to examine the evidence in his possession, investigate the circumstances surrounding his ordeal and determine whether any violations of his rights occurred.
He is also calling for stronger safeguards for Nigerians who use lawful mechanisms, including the Freedom of Information Act, to demand accountability from public institutions.