The African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Police Service Commission (PSC), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other relevant agencies to investigate the alleged attempt by officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at Zone 7 Headquartersin Abuja to abduct a whistleblower, YisaUsman, from his residence on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
Making this call yesterday in Abuja, AFRICMIL Coordinator, Dr Chido Onumah, urged the IGP and the agencies to ensure protection for Usman and other whistleblowers who face threats for acting in the public interest.
According to Onumah, the incident reflectsthe challenges faced by whistleblowers in the country, regretting that the “ugly development” occurred despite ongoing court cases related to Usman’s whistleblowing activities.
He lamented that whistleblowers continue to be exposed to reprisals despite assurances of protection by the state.Onumah stated: “It is shocking that the police exhibited this shameful behaviour despite several ongoing lawsuits related to the whistleblower’s dismissal and prosecution by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).”
He further noted that Usman, who revealed concerning procurement and administrative irregularities within a government agency, faced sustained persecution, including dismissal from service, criminal prosecution and intimidation for doing the right thing.
“Last week, a team of officers from the CID Zone 7 visited Usman’s house under the pretext of executing an invitation purportedly directed by the IGP. At the time of the visit, Usman was not in Abuja.”
He was never served with a warrant of arrest, nor was one shown to him. Attempts to obtain details of the issuing court were reportedly rebuffed by the officers involved.
“The lawsuits include a Fundamental Rights Enforcement Suit filed in 2024 against the Zone 7 Police Command, which remains before the Federal High Court, and a defamation charge filed by Zone 7 in 2024, on behalf of a policewoman reportedly attached to JAMB,” he stated.
The Guardian gathered that the whistleblower is also at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) challenging his dismissal from JAMB as unlawful, retaliatory and discriminatory.
“AFRICMIL reiterates that it does not seek to prejudice the outcome of any of the pending legal matters. However, it is deeply troubling that law enforcement officers would attempt to arrest a whistleblower without following due process.
“The refusal to disclose the origin of the purported arrest warrant or follow legally mandated procedures raises serious questions about the conduct of the officers involved,” he added.
