The Nigerian Army has clarified the alleged abduction of social media influencer Justice Mark Chidiebere (Justice Crack) by the military.

The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, in a statement, said Justice Crack was arrested following posts he made based on complaints by some soldiers regarding their feeding and other welfare-related matters.

“While the matter is being investigated for breach of the Armed Forces’ Social Media Policy and an attempt to misinform the public, preliminary reports reveal that the soldiers discussed a wide range of issues with Chidiebere, who seemed to be inciting them to create discontent within the system.

“An example was a chat bordering on subversion which Chidiebere had with the soldiers.

“It is important to state that a situation where civilians cultivate vulnerable personnel towards acts of subversion has far-reaching implications for discipline and national security.

“Hence, Justice Chidiebere was picked up by the Nigerian Army alongside the soldiers for investigation. While the soldiers remain in custody, Chidiebere has been handed over to the relevant civil authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution,” she said.

Anele stressed that the Nigerian Army remains committed to the rule of law and will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to ensure justice is served, adding that it will act within the ambit of the law in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned the Nigerian Army over what it described as the “brazen kidnapping” of Chidiebere, declaring the action a direct assault on Nigeria’s Constitution and a chilling sign of creeping militarism.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA dismissed the Army’s explanation as an “afterthought justification,” insisting that no amount of official framing can disguise what it called “a crude, unlawful abduction carried out in broad daylight.”

“Let Nigerians be clear: this was not an arrest. This was a kidnapping by men in uniform,” the group declared.

HURIWA questioned why a civilian was seized by soldiers instead of being invited by lawful civil authorities, and what specific law authorises the Army to pick up citizens on “nebulous grounds”.

It also asked when expressing opinions on troop welfare became a military offence.

The group warned that the Army’s conduct has blurred the line between lawful enforcement and criminal abduction, creating a dangerous environment where citizens no longer feel safe, even from those sworn to protect them.

HURIWA described this as a legitimate civic duty, not a crime, accusing the Army of attempting to weaponise national security to silence dissent.

“If the information is false, respond with facts—not force. Bullets and abductions are not tools of public communication,” the statement said.

HURIWA warned that the Army’s actions mirror tactics used by criminal kidnapping gangs terrorising Nigerians:

“When soldiers begin to act like kidnappers, the state loses its moral authority to fight actual kidnappers,” the group warned.

While the Army claims the activist was involved in acts capable of inciting discontent within the ranks, HURIWA dismissed the justification as “dangerously elastic and open to abuse.”

The group insisted that national security cannot be used as a blanket excuse for illegality, warning that such reasoning opens the door to authoritarian excesses.

Consequently, HURIWA called for the immediate and unconditional release of the activist and a binding commitment to end military interference in civilian affairs, warning that Nigeria is inching towards a dangerous tipping point where the rule of law is replaced by the rule of force.

“Today it is one activist. Tomorrow it could be any Nigerian. This is how democracies die—when guns override the Constitution,” the group declared.

The rights body vowed to mobilise legal, civic and public pressure until what it called “this culture of impunity is decisively confronted.”