Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Amnesty International has raised serious concerns over the continued detention of Honourable Jonah Bonet, a vocal political critic popularly known as "Pompo," who has spent 13 days in the custody of the police unit known as Operation Fushin Kada after being arrested in Abuja on 23 June 2026. The rights organisation has condemned the arrest as arbitrary and a violation of Bonet's right to freedom of expression, insisting that criticising a governor is not a crime and that he must be released immediately and unconditionally.
According to Amnesty International, Bonet was arrested at his residence in Abuja at approximately 8:15 p.m. on 23 June 2026, when armed operatives attached to "Operation Fushin Kada" stormed his home and took him away at gunpoint in the presence of his wife and children. The organisation alleged that Bonet's arrest was directly linked to a viral social media video in which he criticised Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani. "Mr Bonet did not commit any crime, and his arrest is a clear abuse of power. It is perfectly within his right to criticise any government official — no matter his position or status," Amnesty stated.
Since his arrest, Bonet's family and legal representatives have reportedly been denied access to him, and security agencies have refused to disclose his whereabouts. His family alleges that he has been detained at the Operation Fushin Kada facility in Kaduna State on the orders of the Kaduna State Government. The family has further alleged that Bonet was interrogated and tortured over his criticism of Governor Uba Sani. They also disclosed that Bonet has a medical condition requiring regular medication, and when they attempted to deliver prescribed drugs to him, they were denied access.
A fundamental rights enforcement suit, marked Suit No. KDH/KAD/849/2026, has been filed before the Kaduna State High Court challenging the legality of his arrest and continued detention. The suit names the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, the Kaduna State Director of the Department of State Services, the Commander of Operation Fushin Kada, and a police officer identified as Segun A.K., popularly known as "Don Jazzy," as respondents. The suit seeks a declaration that his arrest and detention without trial are unconstitutional and violate his rights to personal liberty and fair hearing under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. The application is also seeking an order restraining the respondents from further detaining, harassing or intimidating him, as well as ₦100 million in general damages for the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
Despite the court action, Bonet remained in detention as of Tuesday, 7 July 2026, when he turned 48 years old while still in custody. His continued detention has left his wife, young children, and elderly father traumatised. His family has appealed to Nigerians to intervene, saying his prolonged incarceration without trial has sparked fresh concerns over his health and welfare.
It was gathered that Governor Uba Sani allegedly ordered Bonet's arrest after the activist publicly described him as a threat to democracy following the alleged imposition of candidates during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. Bonet had reportedly argued that the alleged imposition contradicted the governor's public image as a democrat. Sources familiar with the matter said that when questioned about the basis for the arrest, police operatives initially claimed they had received petitions from some Southern Kaduna politicians alleging that Bonet's comments against the governor were capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in the state. The operatives reportedly later introduced another explanation, claiming that the arrest was linked to an ongoing financial investigation. However, according to the sources, some government officials subsequently advanced a different narrative, insisting that Governor Sani was unaware of the arrest and merely wanted to meet Bonet before authorising his release. The sources further alleged that the governor wanted the detainee to publicly absolve him of any involvement in the arrest by issuing statements claiming that the governor had no role in his detention.
Amnesty International has accused the Kaduna State Government of becoming increasingly repressive by targeting critics and creating what it described as "a toxic climate of fear" in the state. The organisation charged Nigerian security agencies to always uphold due process of law and not become a tool in the hands of politicians by carrying out arbitrary arrest, detention, and other undue restrictions of the rights of individuals to the legitimate exercise of their freedom of expression and opinion. Amnesty also expressed concern over what it described as growing intimidation of Nigerians who use social media to comment on political and social issues, warning that such actions constitute violations of fundamental human rights. The group has called on the authorities to immediately release Bonet and respect the rights guaranteed under Nigerian law and international human rights standards. "Jonah Bonet must be released immediately and unconditionally. The duty of authorities is to enable and uphold every person's human rights," Amnesty stated.
As of the time of this report, the Kaduna State Government and the relevant security agencies had not publicly responded to Amnesty International's allegations. Meanwhile, a judiciary source told SaharaReporters that Governor Uba Sani was allegedly working to secure Bonet's release on the condition that he publicly deny any government involvement in his arrest, a move that mirrors the circumstances surrounding the release of another government critic in the state.
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