Anambra-born Onyeaka Ozioma Elizabeth was spotted on the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, revealing she had been arrested over five years and three months ago in Onitsha by officers of the Department of State Services and held without trial at the Wawa Military Detention Center in Kainji, Niger State.
According to account provided by human rights lawyer Barrister Nnaemeka, Ozioma Elizabeth was detained without access to her family or legal representation throughout her multi-year ordeal. Her sister, when reached by phone using details provided by Elizabeth, reportedly expressed utter shock, having believed Elizabeth was dead until shown video evidence of her appearance in court.
Visibly terrified during her court appearance, Elizabeth detailed a journey of continuous transfer across regions she had never previously visited, moving from Anambra to the military facility in Niger State, and ultimately to Abuja to face prosecution.
Condemning the prolonged detention, Barrister Nnaemeka questioned the legal foundation and humanity of the process, asking, “What manner of trial or justice can come from such illegal and dehumanizing detention?”
He further described her ordeal as an emblem of systemic bias in state security operations, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the charges and the selective treatment of citizens.
”Brought from Anambra to Kainji, Niger State, to Abuja; towns and cities she has never been to and away from everything that she knows, to face trial,” Barrister Nnaemeka stated. “Trial for being Biafran? Why nobody has ever faced trial for being Oduduwa and certainly none will ever face trial for being Arewa. Nigeria, a country of injustice.”
Legal proceedings regarding her status and the charges brought against her remain monitored as further details emerge from the court.
