December 20, 2025 l By Dalena Reporters
Abuja/Abia State, Nigeria — The Department of State Services (DSS) has released an Abia State resident, Callistus Ifedi, who had been held since 2021, human rights activists confirmed on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The liberation of Ifedi brings relief to his family, but anguish remains as his wife is still reportedly in detention, according to fiery activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.
Ifedi and his wife were allegedly taken into DSS custody in 2021 over suspected involvement with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). After nearly four years in detention, Ifedi regained his freedom on Friday, December 19, 2025 — a development Sowore described as both “relief and sadness,” given that Mrs. Ifedi has not been released and remains unaccounted for.
Sowore, who disclosed the development on social media, expressed deep concern for Mrs. Ifedi’s welfare, noting that she was last seen at the Wawa Barracks in 2023 — a facility long accused by activists of functioning as a secret detention site for alleged security suspects. “The DSS must release Mrs. Ifedi immediately and other Nigerians held illegally at Wawa Barracks!” Sowore wrote, urging public pressure to secure her freedom.
The case of the Ifedis highlights persistent criticisms of the DSS and other security agencies over prolonged detentions without clear legal proceedings. Human rights groups have previously condemned the use of facilities like Wawa Barracks to detain individuals alleged to be IPOB sympathisers or members, often without access to lawyers, human rights observers, or transparent judicial oversight.
Sowore has frequently spotlighted such practices, decrying what he calls “genocide by unlawful detention” under the administration of President Bola Tinubu. He alleges that hundreds of Nigerians remain held incommunicado and without formal charges — a condition that leaves families in anguish and deprived of closure.
In his public statement, Sowore called for the immediate release of Mrs. Ifedi, along with all others reportedly detained at the DSS facility without due process. His remarks underscore longstanding concerns raised by civil liberties organisations, including Amnesty International, about enforced disappearances and the failure of authorities to account for missing persons taken into state custody.
Amnesty International has repeatedly urged Nigerian authorities to demonstrate “genuine commitment to ending enforced disappearances,” emphasising the profound suffering inflicted on families when individuals are held or go missing without trace or explanation.
The Ifedis’ ordeal resonates with other reports of prolonged detention without trial across Nigeria. Cases documented by human rights advocates include individuals held for years without charges and denied access to legal counsel, prompting legal challenges and calls for enforcement of constitutional protections.
While Callistus Ifedi’s release marks a moment of personal relief after years in detention, the continued disappearance of his wife casts a shadow over the case — spotlighting broader unresolved questions about detention practices, transparency, and respect for human rights within Nigeria’s security apparatus. Activists and civil rights organisations continue to press for accountability and the immediate release of all individuals allegedly held unlawfully.