RULAAC faults Nigerian Army’s arrest of activist Justice Crack, says it lacks the legal authority
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has criticised the Nigerian Army’s recent press statement on the arrest of popular activist Justice Mark Chidiebere, popularly known as “Justice Crack,” describing it as vague, delayed, and insufficient to address public concerns.
A statement issued today by RULAAC’s executive director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the Army’s clarification, which came five days after the arrest raises more questions than it provides answers and appears to be a belated attempt at damage control.
The group expressed worry over the Army’s initial silence and questioned the justification for the arrest.
It said: “Citizens have the constitutional right to freedom of expression, including discussing issues of public interest such as the welfare of security personnel. Raising concerns about poor conditions or amplifying the grievances of soldiers should not be criminalized or framed as subversion without clear, credible, and publicly verifiable evidence.”
RULAAC emphasised that the Nigerian Army lacks legal authority to arrest or detain civilians except in clearly defined circumstances, and even then, such individuals must be promptly handed over to civil authorities.
The rights group further called for full respect of due process, including access to legal counsel and family members, and demanded that Mr. Chidiebere’s current whereabouts be disclosed immediately.
RULAAC urged the Nigerian Army as a matter of urgency to provide a detailed and transparent account of the circumstances of the arrest, including the legal authority under which it was carried out.
It also demanded that the Army disclose Chidiebere’s whereabouts, guarantee his fundamental rights, including access to lawyers and family and health the criminalisation of free speech
RULAAC warned that the credibility of Nigeria’s institutions rests on accountability, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law, rather than the suppression of criticism.
