Summary of Facts
1. The communication is submitted by Huri-Laws, (a non-governmental organisation registered
in Nigeria), on behalf of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), another Nigerian human rights
NGO based in Lagos.
2. The communication was received at the Secretariat on 24th October 1998, during the 24th
Ordinary Session.
3. The communication alleges that since the formation of Civil Liberties Organisation on 15th
October 1987, it has experienced all forms of harassment and persecutions from the Nigerian
government.
4. This harassment and persecution has always been carried out in the form of arrest and
detention of key members and staff of the organisation, and by way of raids and searches without
warrant in the organisation’s offices by the government security agency, the State Security
Services (SSS).
5. One of such acts occurred on 7th November 1997, when Mr Ogaga Ifowodo, a lawyer with the
organisation was arrested at the Nigeria/Benin border while returning from the Commonwealth
Summit in Edinburgh, Scotland.
6. It is alleged that officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency initially arrested Mr
Ogaga.
7. He was first detained at 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, the headquarters of the State Security
Service (SSS) for a few weeks, before being transferred to Ikoyi Prisons, where he was held until
April 1998.
8. The Complainant alleges that the victim was detained in a sordid and dirty cell under inhuman
and degrading conditions. He was denied medical attention and access to his family and lawyer.
He was also denied access to journals, newspapers and books.
9. It is further alleged that he was tortured and rigorously interrogated, and that at no time during
his detention was he informed of any charges against him, nor were any charges ever brought
against him.
10. In another incident which the Complainant contends adds up to the policy of persecutions on
the part of the Respondent State, it is alleged that the Federal Military Government of Nigeria
and its agents, in exercise of the powers under the State Security (Detention of Persons) Decree
No. 2 of 1984 (as amended in 1990), arrested and detained Mr Olisa Agbakoba without charge or
trial between 8th May and 26th June 1998.
11. It is alleged that Agbakoba, founder and board member of Civil Liberties Organisation was
arrested at Lagos airport on his return from Europe and detained at the SSS detention centre at
Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos for 5 weeks.
12. On 10th May 1998, some officers of the SSS escorted Mr Agbakoba to the offices of Civil
Liberties Organisation for the purpose of conducting a search of the premises. Finding few
employees present, because it was a non-working day, they departed.
13. On 11th May 1998, at about 10.30 a.m., Mr. Agbakoba was again escorted by about 30 SSS
agents for the purpose of conducting a raid on his organisation’s headquarters in Lagos,
apparently in search of incriminating materials on the activities of the United Action for
Democracy (UAD), and of CLO’s involvement in its activities and rallies against the military
dictatorship of (the late) General Sani Abacha and his self-succession bid.
14. It is further alleged that for about 7 hours, the agents of SSS carried out a thorough search on
the offices of CLO from room to room, breaking down doors and ripping open drawers and