CSO Petitions Soludo Over Alleged Illegal Detention of 150 Persons by Anambra Vigilante Group
By Alphonsus Nweze
A human rights group, the Congress of Civil Society (Anambra State chapter), has accused the Anambra State vigilante group, Udoagachi, of illegally detaining approximately 150 individuals in a private detention camp in Awka. According to the group, the detainees have been held for the past five months without being handed over to the Nigerian Police.
In a petition addressed to the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, the group urged him to immediately order the release of all detainees held in the private detention camp in Awka and any similar facilities across the state.
The letter, signed by Comrade Damian Ogudike, Chairman of the Congress of Civil Society, warned that failure by the Governor to act would compel the group to initiate legal action to enforce the fundamental rights of the detainees.
The group outlined a three-point demand, chief among them being the immediate dismantling of the detention camp in Awka and any other similar camps across Anambra State.
In the event that the detainees are not released promptly, the group stated that both the Anambra State Government and the leadership of the Udoagachi vigilante group should be prepared to pay each detainee the sum of one million naira (₦1,000,000) for every day spent in illegal detention, until they are released and reunited with their families.
While acknowledging that the vigilante group has contributed to a significant reduction in crime within the state, the group insisted that such achievements do not justify violating the law or the Nigerian Constitution by detaining individuals since January 2025 without due process.
The petition reads in part:“We seriously doubt whether the law establishing this security outfit empowers it to operate a detention camp, let alone detain individuals for up to five months without transferring them to the Nigerian Police. The Police, as mandated by federal law, are the legally recognized authority to handle criminal investigations and prosecutions, and their powers supersede any laws passed by a state assembly.”
The group expressed concern that the Governor’s office may not be aware of these alleged violations.
However, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, they insisted that Governor Soludo has a constitutional obligation to call the vigilante group to order and ensure that justice is served.
They further said that instead of unlawfully detaining suspects, the Udoagachi vigilante group should have handed them over to the Police for proper investigation and prosecution, especially in cases involving serious crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder.
The petition was also copied to the State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
The rights group issued a seven-day ultimatum for compliance with their demands, warning that failure to do so would result in their legal team initiating court proceedings against both the Udoagachi vigilante group and the Anambra State Government.
