JUST IN : Former Commissioner Hospitalised After 61 Days In Police Detention

Former Commissioner Hospitalised After 61 Days In Police Detention

Dr. Fabian Ihekweme, a former commissioner in Imo State, has been hospitalized after spending 61 days in police detention, allegedly for criticizing Governor Hope Uzodimma. He was held incommunicado and reportedly tortured during his time in detention at the Tiger Base police facility in Owerri, Imo State.

Ihekweme, who was arrested on November 27, 2024, at his Abuja home, has been an outspoken critic of Governor Uzodimma's administration. A former ally of the governor, he had initially supported him during the 2019 Imo governorship election and served as the Commissioner for Foreign and International Relations. However, the two eventually parted ways, with Ihekweme becoming a vocal critic of the governor's policies, calling for greater transparency and accountability.

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju publicly confirmed the abduction of Ihekweme, who was forcibly taken to Owerri without an arrest warrant, as he criticized the governor's actions and governance. Following his detention, a coalition of 13 civil society organizations petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, urging him to take action against the alleged abuses by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Tiger Base and the State Investigation Department (SID) in Imo.

During his 61-day detention, Ihekweme’s wife, Excel Ihekweme, wrote multiple petitions to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant authorities, seeking justice for her husband. She claimed that her husband's arrest and detention were unlawful and violated his fundamental human rights. She also highlighted that Ihekweme was denied access to legal counsel and subjected to inhumane conditions.

A petition submitted by the Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse & Torture called the arrest a clear abuse of power, accusing the police of mistreating Ihekweme, including denying him medical care despite his declining health. The petition highlighted the undue trauma caused to his family, especially his children.

In addition to the public outcry, Ihekweme was reportedly forced to sign an undertaking on January 27, 2025, pledging to be of good behavior and cease writing articles critical of the government. The undertaking was a clear attempt to mitigate the political fallout from his detention, as it included an apology for his past criticisms.

Despite these efforts, Ihekweme's health deteriorated, and he is now receiving medical treatment in an undisclosed hospital following his release. The case has drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights groups, which have called on the Nigerian authorities to address the increasing use of detention and force to suppress dissent.

This case has further intensified the debate on human rights abuses under Governor Uzodimma’s administration and the broader political climate in Imo State. Civil society groups continue to demand accountability for the police’s actions and the restoration of democratic principles in the state.