A coalition of civil society organisations under the Action Group on Free Civic Space (AGFCS) has condemned what it calls the systematic erosion of civic freedoms in Ebonyi State, following the prolonged detention of Emmanuel Acha, Chairman of the Enugu State Civil Society Network. Acha was allegedly abducted from his home by police in April 2025 without a warrant and has been held in Abakaliki Prison for over three months without bail.
According to AGFCS representative Okechukwu Nwagunma, Acha’s arrest is linked to a lawsuit he filed in December 2024 challenging government actions over the protracted Effium-Ezza land conflict in Ohaukwu LGA. The group argues that rather than addressing Acha’s concerns through lawful means, the state opted for coercion and repression.
AGFCS claims Acha was physically assaulted and psychologically tormented by police, and is now facing questionable charges—including arms possession and murder—in a court reportedly overseen by a judge from the rival community, raising doubts about judicial impartiality.
The group asserts that Acha’s detention violates Sections 34, 35, and 39 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which protect dignity, liberty, and freedom of expression. It calls the arrest a case of political persecution masked as criminal prosecution and warns against the misuse of state power to silence dissent.
The group urged the federal government, judiciary, and human rights bodies to intervene immediately to ensure Acha’s release and uphold the rule of law in Ebonyi State.
