Court Delays Nnamdi Emeh's Trial as Activists Demand His Release

The Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has postponed the trial of whistleblower Nnamdi Emeh until 27 October. Judge Evelyn Anyadike made this announcement during court proceedings on Tuesday, according to PREMIUM TIMES.

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

He is facing 12 charges, including impersonation, illegal possession of firearms, and leaking information about alleged corruption and extrajudicial killings. The court granted him bail in May 2023, but the police filed an application to stop that order. Since then, his trial has faced delays due to the judge’s death, missing case files, and frequent adjournments.

Mr Emeh’s lawyer, Justus Ijeoma, spoke to reporters after Tuesday’s proceedings. He said the judge informed them that the court would only handle pre-election matters 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. He confirmed that this means Mr Emeh’s trial will not continue until the new date of 27 October.

In light of his ongoing detention, a group of 16 civil society organisations (CSOs) has urged the Federal High Court in Awka to order Mr Emeh’s immediate release. They issued a joint statement on Tuesday, calling on the Nigerian government to ensure he receives 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 CSOs criticized the authorities for not following bail rulings. They argued that prosecuting the whistleblower for his disclosures is wrong.

"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. It shows the lack of protection for whistleblowers in Nigeria and the urgent need to improve these protections."

In February 2023, the police in Anambra State declared Mr Emeh wanted for alleged fraud, impersonation, and defamation. He was arrested in the Benin Republic on 3 March of that year. This happened just days after three senior police officers in Anambra State were indicted for criminal activities.

A news blog, Gistlover, had earlier reported that these officers were involved in illegal arrests, torture, extortion, and extrajudicial killings. The blog, which reportedly got its information from Mr Emeh, claimed that the officers illegally arrested victims, labeled them as "unknown gunmen," and tortured them into accepting this label before killing them and taking their vehicles and valuables.

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