Rivers
Kidney Transplant Patient Alleges Rights Abuse By Police
A kidney transplant recipient, Chief Ugochukwu Lucky Ibekwe, has raised alarm over his continued detention by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Product Theft and Sundry Energy Crimes in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, despite being granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction.
This was part of a petition by the ailing detainee, through his counsel, Damian O. Okoro, SAN, in Port Harcourt.
The petition accused the Head of Investigation of the Task Force, CSP Omar John Sini, of subjecting the detainee to prolonged and unlawful incarceration spanning over 65 days.
Ibekwe, who was first arrested on February 14, 2026, in connection with alleged illegal bunkering activities, stated that the offence remains unproven, stressing that his continued detention violates his constitutional right to presumption of innocence as enshrined under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In the petition, which was addressed to the Inspector-General of Police and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, the detainee alleged that the investigation process was fraught with malice and deliberate attempts to frustrate his release.
He further claimed that the initial administrative bail conditions imposed by the Task Force were excessively stringent, describing them as punitive and calculated to ensure his indefinite detention rather than guarantee his presence for investigation or prosecution.
According to him, following the harsh bail conditions, his legal team approached the Federal High Court, Umuahia Judicial Division, which granted him bail on liberal terms in line with constitutional provisions.
However, he alleged that upon meeting the bail conditions and securing his release on April 2, 2026, he was immediately re-arrested at the gate of the detention facility by operatives of the same Task Force on fresh allegations of money laundering.
The suspect in the petition lamented that since his re-arrest, he has neither been formally charged to court on the new allegations, nor given the opportunity to defend himself, describing the development as a calculated attempt to perpetuate his detention.
The petitioner disclosed that his lawyers subsequently approached a High Court sitting in Oyigbo, presided over by Justice F.A. Fiberesima, which on April 21, 2026, again granted him bail on what he described as realistic and attainable terms.
The suspect, however, alleged that the Task Force has refused to comply with the subsisting court order, describing the action as a blatant disregard for judicial authority and a threat to constitutional democracy.
The petition, which was also copied to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Senate President, accused the police operatives of systemic abuse of power and contempt of court.
The detainee also expressed grave concern over his deteriorating health, noting that he is a kidney transplant patient suffering from acute hypertension, a condition he said has worsened significantly due to the prolonged detention and lack of adequate medical care.
He warned that the continued disobedience to court orders by law enforcement agents undermines the rule of law and could erode public confidence in the justice system.
The petitioner therefore called for his immediate and unconditional release in compliance with the court orders, as well as a thorough disciplinary investigation into the conduct of CSP Omar John Sini.
The suspect, through the lawyers, demanded that the officer be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act for alleged abuse of power and actions capable of bringing the Nigeria Police Force into disrepute.
“We urge authorities to ensure he receives urgent medical attention and insist that he should be formally charged to court if there is any credible evidence against him, rather than being subjected to indefinite detention”, it said.
When contacted, CSP Omar John Sini confirmed receipt of the court orders directing the suspect’s release but stated that he declined to comply with the second order based on legal advice indicating an intention to appeal.
The police officer also alleged that threats to his life purportedly issued by the suspect informed his decision not to enforce the court directive.
The development has sparked concerns among legal observers and rights advocates, who warn that disregard for court orders by enforcement agencies poses serious implications for the rule of law and democratic governance in the country.
King Onunwor