A coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Ebonyi State has condemned what it described as an alarming rise in the harassment, arrest and detention of journalists and social critics, accusing political actors in the state of weaponising security agencies to silence dissent.
The groups called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, and the Speaker of the House of Assembly to urgently intervene to prevent what they termed a slide into “total lawlessness.”
The outrage followed the arrest of 22-year-old TikToker, Chisom Achor, who was accused of publishing defamatory content against Hon. Chinedu Ogah, the member representing the Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency.
Achor had alleged murder, kidnapping, land grabbing, and oppression against the lawmaker, leading to his arrest, arraignment and subsequent remand at the Enugu Correctional Centre.
Another social media influencer, Friday Alefia, is facing a similar ordeal. The publisher, reportedly arrested in Lagos and transported to Abuja, is currently remanded in Kuje Prison by order of a Magistrate Court and has been held by the police since September 27, 2025.
The clampdown comes on the heels of a recent attack on journalist Godwin Aliuna, who was assaulted by vigilante operatives inside the old Government House, Abakaliki, while covering an event after a disagreement with the Commissioner for Border Peace, Prof. Awo Nwobashi.
The coalition said the pattern of intimidation had become disturbing and unacceptable. Addressing journalists in Abakaliki at the weekend, the group—comprising the Human Rights Volunteer Corps (HRVC), Human Rights Action Group (HRAG), Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) and Good Living Initiative (GLI)—decried what it termed an ongoing assault on the civic space.
The leaders, including Prof. Joseph Agbo (HRVC), Mr. Charles Otu (HRAG), Mr. Lawrence Omini (CDHR) and Mr. Daniel Ibiam (GLI), said:
“We organise this press conference today, to register our concern and dismay over the rapid closing of the civic space in Ebonyi by the political class and actors and the uncommon silence of both government and individuals.”
The groups insisted they did not support defamation but urged urgent intervention by authorities.
“Whereas the Civil Society Groups are not in support of any form of defamation of anybody’s character… we wish to seek the intervention of the President and IGP.”
They also called on “peace-loving people of Ebonyi to arise with one voice and demand a probe into the allegations against an Ebonyi lawmaker, Mr. Chinedu Ogah and his critics.”
The coalition urged the police and relevant institutions to investigate all cases.
“We have watched with disconcerting reflections how in a space of less than three months or so, some journalists, writers and social media critics have been arrested and detained.”
While expressing opposition to cyberbullying and media misconduct, the groups maintained that state power must not be deployed to stifle dissent.
In a petition shared with journalists, the coalition described the case of young Achor as “pathetic,” alleging that police authorities instructed that “any family member or friend who brings food for him should be nabbed and detained alongside him.”
They recounted the arrest of 28-year-old Chinonso Imeba, who was allegedly detained simply for taking food to his detained brother.
“His only crime was that he took food to his brother… This sounds incredible but shows how deeply compromised our security agencies have become,” the petition stated.
The groups further alleged longstanding accusations against Hon. Ogah, claiming he has “severally unleashed terror upon the residents of his Ikwo Local Government Area.” According to them, petitions submitted to security agencies alleged that the lawmaker had armed himself and raised gangs within Amagu Ikwo Community.
They alleged that these armed groups were used for “killings, kidnapping, land-grabbing, financial extortion, brutalizing, and arousing community crisis,” targeting political opponents and vulnerable residents across multiple communities.
Communities—including Amagu Ikwo, Inyimagu, Igbudu, Okpuitumo, Echara, Eka-Awoke, Ekpelu, Ekpaomaka and Alike Ikwo—were said to be living in “bondage of fear and anxiety.”
Critics of the lawmaker have also accused him of petitioning community members and branding them as IPOB or ESN members as a means of intimidation.
When contacted, Hon. Ogah could not be reached directly, but he responded through his Media Centre, expressing concern over what he called sponsored online attacks.
“I wish to draw the attention of the public to the disturbing wave of sponsored social-media attacks targeted at my person,” he said.
He stressed that political ambition should not be built on false narratives.
“Leadership cannot be built on cyberbullying, fabricated propaganda, or the hiring of online attackers… Responsible politics requires selling ideas, not sponsoring falsehood.”
Ogah said he was confident in the ongoing legal processes.
“The long arm of the law is in motion, and sooner or later, the full network behind this orchestrated defamation campaign will be exposed.”
He added:
“When that time comes, those who engineered and financed it will have no choice but to face the consequences of their actions.
