Southeast CSOs Petition NHRC Over Alleged Wawa Detention, Unidentified Bodies in Imo

Twenty Civil society and human rights organisations from the South-East have petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), demanding urgent and independent investigations into alleged unlawful detention of civilians at Wawa Military Barracks in Niger State.

They also raised alarm over the reported discovery and movement of unidentified bodies in Imo State.

The groups, in a joint petition, made available to newsmen, on Wednesday, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, said the allegations were too serious to be ignored, stressing that their petition was not intended to present the claims as established facts but to seek an impartial process capable of determining the truth.

The organisations include the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Citizens Centre for Integrated Development (CCIDESOR), Anambra CSO Network, Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), and several other civil society groups across the region.

According to the petition, investigative reports by HumAngle and subsequent media reports had raised concerns over civilians allegedly being detained at Wawa Military Barracks for prolonged periods.

The groups alleged that some of those reportedly detained included persons arrested during security operations in the South-East, as well as individuals accused of terrorism-related offences or alleged links to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

They said accounts attributed to former detainees and other sources contained allegations of blindfolding during transfers, incommunicado detention, poor living conditions, physical abuse, psychological trauma, inadequate medical care and, in some cases, deaths in custody.

The petitioners also raised concerns over alleged cases in which families were unable to establish the whereabouts of relatives for prolonged periods.

They specifically referred to reports concerning the alleged detention and death in custody of Calista Ifedi, who was reportedly detained at Wawa from 2021, saying the circumstances surrounding her fate required independent scrutiny.

The groups said if the allegations were established, they could amount to violations of constitutional protections and Nigeria's obligations under international human rights instruments.

They stressed that allegations of terrorism or other serious offences should not deprive suspects of their rights to humane treatment, access to legal representation, judicial oversight and fair hearing.

The petitioners also called for an investigation into reports of hundreds of unidentified bodies allegedly discovered or moved from mortuaries in Imo State, including facilities at Ngor Okpala and Mbieri.

They cited concerns reportedly raised by Amnesty International over the movement of large numbers of human remains at night, some of which were allegedly in advanced stages of decomposition.

The groups said the circumstances surrounding the bodies required urgent clarification, including establishing the identities of the deceased, when and where they died, how their remains came to be in the affected mortuaries and who authorised their movement.

They also demanded verification of hospital, mortuary, police and medical records, as well as clarification on where the remains were taken and whether steps had been taken to identify the deceased and notify their families.

The organisations were, however, careful to state that the existence of unidentified bodies did not by itself establish unlawful killings or other criminal conduct.

They argued that an independent investigation was nevertheless necessary, particularly against the backdrop of concerns over missing persons and alleged human rights violations linked to security operations in the South-East.

The groups further urged the NHRC to examine whether there could be any link between persons reported missing after arrests or security operations and some of the unidentified bodies.

They called for cross-referencing of missing-person reports, arrest and transfer records, persons allegedly detained at Wawa, deaths in custody and unidentified remains recovered or held in Imo State.

Among their demands, the petitioners asked the NHRC to conduct an unannounced inspection of Wawa Military Barracks and other locations where civilians may be detained.

They also requested a complete register of current and former civilian detainees, including their identities, dates and places of arrest, arresting authorities, transfers, legal status and present whereabouts.

The groups called for detainees to be interviewed privately and confidentially and for allegations of torture, ill-treatment, incommunicado detention, deaths in custody and denial of medical care to be investigated.

On the Imo State reports, they demanded independent investigation, appropriate autopsies and forensic identification of the remains.

They further urged the preservation of military, police, detention, court, medical, hospital and mortuary records, as well as CCTV footage, photographs, fingerprints, DNA evidence, post-mortem reports and records relating to the movement or disposal of human remains.

The petitioners warned that no unidentified body should be disposed of, buried, cremated or otherwise interfered with before reasonable identification and forensic procedures had been completed.

They also asked that where violations are established, victims and their families should receive appropriate remedies, including the release of unlawfully detained persons, medical and psychosocial support, identification and dignified return of remains, compensation and other forms of redress.

They further called for referral to appropriate prosecutorial or disciplinary authorities where investigations establish criminal or professional responsibility.

The groups urged the NHRC to publish a comprehensive report of its findings and recommendations and provide guarantees against recurrence.

They said the issues raised went beyond individual cases, arguing that national security operations must remain subject to constitutional safeguards, judicial oversight and respect for human dignity.

The petition was copied to the Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Director-General of the Department of State Services, Imo State Governor, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Imo State, Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, relevant National Assembly committees, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, National Security Adviser, Nigeria Medical Association, Nigerian Bar Association and the South-East Governors Forum.

The petitioners said they were ready to provide available documentation and facilitate contact with affected families, former detainees, lawyers, witnesses and other relevant sources to assist the NHRC in its investigation.