Court adjourns Nnamdi Emeh’s trial as CSOs demand release

Mr Emeh faces 12-count charges, including impersonation, illegal possession of firearms, and leaking information regarding alleged corruption, extrajudicial killings, and organ harvesting by police officers in the state.

The Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has adjourned the trial of whistleblower Nnamdi Emeh until 27 October. The presiding judge, Evelyn Anyadike, announced the adjournment during court proceedings on Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

Mr Emeh, an IT consultant and whistleblower, has been in detention since March 2023. He was initially arrested after exposing alleged extrajudicial killings, corruption, and organ trafficking by officers within the Anambra State police command. At the time, he was serving his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme and had been posted to the police’s Rapid Response Squad in 2022.

He is currently facing a 12-count charge of impersonation, illegal possession of firearms, and the anonymous leaking of information regarding alleged corruption and extrajudicial killings. Although the court granted Mr Emeh bail in May 2023, the police subsequently filed an application to stay the execution of that order. Since then, his trial has been repeatedly delayed by the presiding judge’s death, missing case documents, and frequent adjournments.

Adjournment

Mr Emeh’s lawyer, Justus Ijeoma, told reporters after Tuesday’s proceedings that the judge indicated that the court would only hear pre-election matters on that day.

“The court indicated that today (Tuesday) it is not going to hear any matter that is not a pre-election matter or a politically related matter,” Mr Ijeoma said in a video clip obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. The lawyer confirmed that this decision means Mr Emeh’s trial will not resume until the new adjourned date of 27 October.

Groups demand release

In response to his continued detention, a coalition of 16 civil society organisations (CSOs) has called on the Federal High Court in Awka to order Mr Emeh’s immediate release. In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the CSOs also urged the Nigerian government to intervene to ensure his right to a fair trial.

“Emeh’s case raises serious concerns regarding rights to fair trial and due process, as enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution,” the statement noted. “The continued detention of the whistleblower, despite repeated court orders for his release, raises profound concerns about the respect for the rule of law in Nigeria.”

The groups criticised the authorities for failing to comply with bail rulings, arguing that prosecuting the whistleblower for his disclosures is improper.

“Efforts to silence or punish those who raise legitimate concerns risk undermining confidence in public institutions, including the police force and the judiciary,” they stated. “These developments directly endanger whistleblowers and undermine public interest protections. Significantly, it demonstrates the absence of protection for whistleblowers in Nigeria and underscores the urgent need to strengthen protections.”

Background

In February 2023, the police in Anambra State declared Mr Emeh wanted for alleged fraud, impersonation, and defamation. He was subsequently arrested in the Benin Republic on 3 March of that year. His arrest came just days after three high-ranking police officers serving in Anambra State were indicted for criminal activities.

A news blog, Gistlover, had previously published a report accusing these officers of engaging in illegal arrests, torture, extortion, and the extrajudicial killings of their victims. The blog, which reportedly sourced its information from Mr Emeh, alleged that the officers “illegally” arrested victims, labelled them as “unknown gunmen,” and tortured them into accepting the label before killing them and seizing their vehicles and other valuables.

The then Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, subsequently ordered an investigation into the allegations against the officers.