Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS) convened two press conferences in July 2025 to draw attention to the detention and prosecution of Comrade Emmanuel Acha, Chairperson of the Enugu State Civil Society Network. The first press conference was held in Lagos on July 17, 2025, and the second in Aba, Abia State on July 21, 2025. Comrade Emmanuel Acha was arrested at his residence in Enugu at approximately 5:00 AM in March 2025 and subsequently transferred to the Abakaliki Correctional Centre under Charge No: HKW/27C/2025. He was whisked away by security operatives in a gestapo style in the early hours of the morning, without any opportunity to speak to his lawyers, accompanied by physical assault and psychological torture.
At the Lagos press briefing, members of the Action Group came together to address the press, condemning the “use of state power to criminalize dissent.” They insisted that Acha’s arrest was politically motivated. In Aba, Action Group members in the South East zone also reiterated that the arrest had been orchestrated in retaliation for Acha’s lawsuit against the government. His arrest seemed to have been triggered by a civil suit (Suit No: FHC/AI/CS/FHR/221/24) which he had filed in December 2024 challenging certain actions taken by the Ebonyi State government in the Effium-Ezza land dispute in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State. Not only that, the charge sheet is shorn of any credible evidence of wrongdoing in violation of Sections 34, 35, and 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
The joint statement issued at both events condemned the unjust detention and politically motivated prosecution of Comrade Acha. It emphasized that no warrant had been produced, no arms or incriminating evidence had been found, and that the presiding judge’s community affiliation raised serious questions about impartiality. The press briefing affirmed that these actions contravened constitutional guarantees of dignity, personal liberty, and freedom of expression.
The Action Group also submitted a petition to Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru on July 7, 2025, detailing the circumstances of Acha’s arrest, the violations of due process, and the broader risks to civic space in Ebonyi State. No response had been received by the time of the second press conference.
The AGFCS Coalition made the following demands in the petition:
- Immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Emmanuel Acha and others detained in relation to the Effium-Ezza conflict.
- Withdrawal of all politically motivated charges against Comrade Acha.
- Institute disciplinary measures against state actors and police officers responsible for his unlawful detention and alleged torture.
- Provision of urgent medical attention and guaranteed access to legal counsel and family.
- Invitation of independent mediators, civil society organizations, and international observers to monitor the implementation of the Ebonyi State White Paper on the Effium-Ezza conflict.
- Assurance that all future proceedings will adhere to due process and judicial impartiality.
Through coordinated interventions in Lagos and Aba and the formal petition to the governor, the Action Group on Free Civic Space will continue to press for his release, while advocating for the protection of lawful dissent to safeguard Nigeria’s civic space against abuse of state power.
