Human rights and public interest lawyers have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), demanding the immediate and unconditional release of activist and public affairs commentator Onwuka Chimezie, popularly known as Mezie, who they alleged has been unlawfully detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Area 10, Abuja, after criticising the Rivers State Commissioner of Police.
The petition, filed through WCE & Co. Chambers/Waynes Court and signed by its Principal Partner, Elljah Chifetie Prince Wayne C.E., Esq., was dated September 8, 2026.
The lawyers alleged that Mezie was arrested in Abuja on September 4 by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Rivers State Police Command.
According to the petition, the arrest was connected to comments, criticisms and allegations publicly made by Mezie concerning Adewole, including allegations relating to land grabbing and alleged support for persons accused of land grabbing.
The lawyers, however, stressed that they were not seeking to establish the truth or otherwise of the allegations made by Mezie.
“If the allegations are false, the affected public officer has lawful remedies available to him. If they disclose any criminal conduct, the Nigeria Police Force equally possesses lawful investigative powers,” the lawyers said.
They said their major concern was the alleged use of police powers to deprive Mezie of his liberty because he publicly criticised or made allegations against a serving public officer.
“What is fundamentally objectionable is the apparent use of the coercive machinery of the State to deprive a citizen of his liberty merely because he has publicly criticised or made allegations against a serving public officer,” the lawyers stated.
The lawyers also raised concerns over an alleged attempt to transport Mezie by road from Abuja to Port Harcourt, saying the journey was eventually discontinued at Enugu.
They alleged that Mezie was subsequently taken to the Police FCID in Area 10, Abuja, where he had remained in custody for several days.
The lawyers argued that although the police possess powers to arrest and investigate suspected criminal offences, such powers do not make every arrest lawful.
They pointed to Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty, and maintained that the police were required to respect the constitutional rights and dignity of persons in custody.
“The existence of a power of arrest does not make every arrest lawful,” the lawyers said.
They further argued that public officials were subject to scrutiny, criticism and accountability, insisting that allegations of defamation should be addressed through appropriate legal channels.
“A public officer is necessarily subject to public scrutiny, criticism and accountability,” they said.
The lawyers added: “The police station cannot become a substitute for the courtroom, nor can arrest become a punishment for speech or criticism.”
They demanded that if Mezie had committed a criminal offence, the offence should be clearly identified and prosecuted according to law.
“If Mezie has committed a criminal offence, let the offence be identified and let the evidence be prosecuted in accordance with law,” they said.
The lawyers further stated that if the allegations against Mezie were defamatory, the appropriate civil remedy should be pursued.
“But if his liberty is being withheld principally because his criticisms are considered offensive, embarrassing or inconvenient to a public officer, then such detention raises a grave constitutional question which demands the immediate intervention of your office,” they stated.
The lawyers claimed that Mezie had been in police custody for more than 72 hours, describing the situation as requiring urgent intervention by the IGP.
They demanded that any criminal allegation against him be clearly communicated, that his constitutional rights be respected and that he be brought before a competent court if there was sufficient evidence to prosecute him.
“What is unacceptable is the continued detention of a citizen at Police FCID, Area 10, Abuja, without transparent disclosure of the legal basis for his continued incarceration,” the lawyers said.
Consequently, the lawyers demanded Mezie’s “immediate and unconditional” release unless the police could demonstrate a lawful and enforceable basis for his continued detention.
They also asked the IGP to order an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mezie’s arrest and detention, including the alleged directive issued by Adewole.
Among the issues they want investigated are the identity and authority of the officers who arrested Mezie, the legal basis for his detention, the reported attempt to transport him from Abuja to Port Harcourt and why the journey was discontinued at Enugu.
The petition also demanded that Mezie and his counsel be informed of the specific offence, if any, for which he was being detained and that he be granted immediate access to his lawyers and family members.
The lawyers further requested the preservation and production of police records relating to the arrest, detention, statements, movement and any instructions authorising his arrest and transportation.
They said disciplinary and/or legal action should be taken against any officer found to have abused police powers or violated Mezie’s fundamental rights.
The petition followed a SaharaReporters report published on Monday, in which human rights advocate Marshal Abubakar called for Adewole’s removal over the alleged arrest and detention of Mezie.
Abubakar had similarly alleged that Mezie was arrested by officers of the Rivers State Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad at about 3pm on September 4 in Abuja, allegedly at the instance of the police commissioner, over comments concerning allegations of land grabbing and alleged support for land grabbers.
He also alleged that Mezie was transported by road from Abuja towards Port Harcourt before the journey was aborted in Enugu.
Abubakar described the alleged treatment of Mezie as a violation of Nigerian law and international human rights instruments and demanded disciplinary action against Adewole and the officers involved.
However, the Rivers State Police Command said it was not aware of the allegations.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Blessing Agabe, told SaharaReporters that the matter was being handled by the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.
“I am not aware of the allegations stated,” Agabe said.
“However, the matter is currently being handled by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) in Abuja,” she added, directing further enquiries to the FCID.
In their petition, the lawyers said the matter went beyond Mezie and raised a broader question about the use of police powers against citizens who criticise public officials.
“The issue before us is bigger than Mezie,” the lawyers said.
“It is about whether a Nigerian citizen can question a public officer without fear that the machinery of the State will be deployed against him.”
They urged the Inspector-General of Police to act “urgently and decisively” by securing Mezie’s release and directing an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his arrest and continued detention.