How FCT Police Connived With Gwagwalada Chairman, APGA Chieftain To Arrest, Brutalise Activist Manasseh Paul

The Nigerian police, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abubakar Jibrin Giri, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chairmanship Candidate, Hon. Ezekiel Zezelaga, have been accused of orchestrating the unlawful arrest of a human rights activist, Manasseh Bem Paul, for demanding details of contracts allegedly awarded by the council.

According to information obtained by SaharaReporters, the activist was arrested in the early hours of Thursday at his residence in Gwagwalada by armed policemen accompanied by Hon Zezelaga.

Sources said the officers whisked Mannasseh away in Zezelaga’s vehicle and took him to the residence of Chairman Giri, where he was allegedly threatened, intimidated, and assaulted. The duo claimed that the activist had defamed them. 

Multiple witnesses claimed that the council chairman also vowed to hand over the activist to the Department of State Services (DSS) to, in his words, “make life miserable for him.”

The activist was later taken to the Gwagwalada Police Division, where he was allegedly beaten and manhandled by police officers. 

Mannasseh managed to post an update on Facebook, announcing his arrest. He wrote: “I have been arrested by APGA candidate Ezekiel. Heading to Gwagwalada Police Command.”

Efforts by his legal team to secure his release were reportedly frustrated by the police. 

His lawyer, Barrister Abubakar Marshal, who was represented by another barrister, Grace, who went to perfect his bail, was allegedly denied access to him at the station.

Mannasseh, who also works as a citizen journalist with the online news platform Chronicles Reporters, recently published a report exposing alleged irregularities in contract awards by the Gwagwalada Area Council. The publication further accused APGA candidate Zezelaga of acquiring suspicious properties on behalf of Chairman Giri.

The activist is known in Gwagwalada for his strong advocacy for accountability and transparency in the administration of the area council.

As of the time of filing the report, both the FCT Police Command and the Gwagwalada Area Council Chairman were yet to respond to inquiries regarding the activist’s arrest.