February 1, 2026 l By Dalena Reporters Staff Correspondent
ABUJA — Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore on Sunday published the names of 12 Nigerian citizens whom he says have been unlawfully detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Wawa Barracks detention facility for more than four years without charge or trial, drawing renewed criticism of Nigeria’s security agencies and justice system.
In a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Sowore said the detainees were arrested in 2021 by DSS operatives in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, while travelling to the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to attend a court appearance in the terrorism trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He described their detention as “unlawful” and a violation of fundamental human rights.
“Their only ‘offence’ was travelling to Abuja to attend a court appearance in the case of Nnamdi Kanu,” Sowore wrote, accusing the DSS of operating “outside the law.”
Sowore listed the detainees by name, including Wisdom Ezike, Kenneth Ojima, Chinedu Nwoba, Igwe Sampson, David Ogbonnaya, Aja Joseph, Barrister Awoke, Chinoso Oyibe, Eze Joseph, Okezie Fortune and two drivers, one identified only as Ikechukwu.
The activist called for the immediate and unconditional release of all 12 individuals, urging the Federal Government to compensate them for their prolonged detention and to ensure that DSS officers responsible for the alleged abuses are held fully accountable. He also demanded the closure of the Wawa Barracks detention centre, which he described as a “dark site” that should no longer operate.
Sowore’s allegations come amid ongoing debates over civil liberties, detention practices and the rule of law in Nigeria, particularly in cases connected to the long-running legal controversies surrounding Nnamdi Kanu. Critics of government policy have previously raised concerns about prolonged detentions without charge and limited access to judicial review in high-profile political cases.
At the time of reporting, there had been no public response from the DSS or the Federal Government addressing Sowore’s claims or the status of the identified detainees.