Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a leading civil society organisation, has filed a formal petition with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), calling for an urgent and thorough investigation into what it describes as systematic human rights violations at the Wawa Barracks detention facility in Niger State. The petition, which was submitted to the NHRC Executive Secretary on [date of petition], alleges a litany of abuses at the facility, including unlawful detention, torture, enforced disappearances, medical neglect, and extrajudicial killings, all of which the group says are prohibited under Nigerian and international law.
RULAAC's petition comes amid growing public scrutiny of the Wawa Barracks facility, which has been described by rights groups as a "secret detention centre" where individuals are held incommunicado, often for years, without charge or trial. The facility has been linked to the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies, with reports indicating that detainees are routinely denied access to legal representation, family members, and medical care. The group's Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts to expose the alleged abuses at the facility and demand accountability from the authorities.
The petition cites a pattern of grave human rights violations, including the case of Mrs. Calista Ifedi, a food vendor from Enugu who was arrested alongside her husband in November 2021. According to RULAAC, Mrs. Ifedi was detained for the alleged offence of selling food to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). She was held indefinitely without charge, denied access to court, and eventually transferred to Wawa Barracks, where she died in custody. Her husband, who was released in December 2025, was never informed of her death. RULAAC described her death as "unlawful detention, enforced disappearance, torture through medical neglect, and extrajudicial killing".
RULAAC's petition also draws attention to the broader pattern of impunity and secrecy that has come to define the operation of the Wawa Barracks facility. The organisation has called on the NHRC to conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the allegations, documenting all verified cases and making appropriate recommendations. The group has also demanded the immediate closure of Wawa Barracks as a detention facility, the production of Mrs. Ifedi's remains for an independent autopsy, and the arrest and prosecution of all officials found complicit in the alleged violations.
The petition has been endorsed by a coalition of civil society organisations and concerned citizens, who have expressed alarm over the frequency of incidents of torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings in the South-East region. The groups have urged the federal government to adopt a more holistic approach to addressing insecurity, rather than relying solely on force, which they argue has contributed to escalating human rights violations.
The NHRC has yet to issue a formal response to the petition, but the commission has previously taken action on similar complaints. In 2025, the NHRC demanded answers from the DSS over the four-year detention of a youth leader at the Wawa Barracks facility. However, rights groups have criticised the commission for what they describe as a slow and ineffective response to systemic abuses, calling for more robust action to hold perpetrators accountable.
The petition has also drawn attention to the role of the DSS in the alleged abuses, with RULAAC accusing the agency of operating with impunity and contempt for the rule of law. The group has called for an independent investigation into the DSS, including the chain of command responsible for Mrs. Ifedi's unlawful detention and death. The DSS has previously denied allegations of human rights violations, but the organisation has faced mounting pressure to account for its actions, particularly in light of the documented cases of abuse at Wawa Barracks.
As the NHRC considers RULAAC's petition, the case has become a rallying point for human rights advocates in Nigeria, who are demanding justice for the victims of state-sponsored violence and an end to the culture of impunity that has long defined the country's security apparatus. The outcome of the petition could have far-reaching implications for the future of detention facilities in Nigeria and the accountability of security agencies.
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