The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Minna Branch, has called on the Niger State Police Command to immediately release Abdulmalik Usman Nagenu, the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) chairmanship candidate for the November 1, 2025 Bida Local Government election.
Nagenu has been in police custody since November 4, 2025, following the omission of his name and party logo from the ballot paper. The NBA said the matter should have been resolved through an election tribunal rather than through detention, warning that holding a candidate without a defined offence violates constitutional and human rights.
In a letter dated November 18, 2025, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, the NBA Human Rights Committee stated that Nagenu’s detention contravenes the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
The association explained, “In spite of the above, our client was arrested sometime on the 4th of November, 2025, detained and was languishing in the Police cell, which is a flagrant infringement of his constitutional rights by all standards. There is, however, no clear-cut definition of his alleged offence, let alone arranging him to a competent court of law to defend himself.”
The NBA urged the police to release Nagenu immediately, emphasizing that constitutional rights must not be violated. The association added, “It is on this basis that we urge you to release our client unconditionally in the interest of his constitutional rights, noting that where one’s right ends, another’s begins.”
The NBA further reminded the Commissioner of Police of the Nigeria Police Force’s (NPF) duty to uphold the rule of law and protect human dignity. “Sir, we humbly appeal that you use your exalted office, as an agency entrusted with the rule of law, protecting human dignity and justice, to free our client,” the statement said. The NBA Minna Branch said it is awaiting a prompt response from the police command.
SaharaReporters previously reported that Nagenu remains in detention despite no charges being filed against him. His legal team has filed a fundamental rights enforcement application at the Federal High Court to challenge his continued confinement.
Nagenu’s lawyer, Ibrahim Usman Wali, described his client’s detention as “a blatant constitutional aberration,” adding, “It must be stated clearly: Hon. Nagenu is being held in conditions no human being should endure. The State CID detention facility, in its present state, is one of the most dehumanising environments I have encountered in all my years of legal practice.”
Wali appealed to the public for support, stating, “At this moment, the Honorable needs the unwavering support and solidarity of the people. The community must stand firm, for what is at stake is not merely the liberty of one man, but the integrity of our constitutional safeguards and the basic dignity owed to every citizen.”
He noted that although the application was initially brought ex parte, the Court directed that the Police be served. “They have now been duly served, and the matter will be taken at the earliest possible date. As soon as the hearing date is confirmed, the public will be immediately informed,” Wali said.
He emphasised that Nagenu’s detention violates both the 1999 Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. “This pattern of detention without charge is unlawful, indefensible, and an assault on the rule of law. The State cannot detain a citizen first and ‘look for a case’ later,” Wali added.
Nagenu was arrested at his residence in Bida following allegations linking him to a viral video showing an attack on Governor Umar Bago’s convoy. Reports indicated that the video misrepresented a condolence visit Nagenu had made, with remarks in the background wrongly attributed to him. Political sources suggested the arrest may have been politically motivated, citing Nagenu’s rising grassroots popularity.
Earlier, his name and party logo were reportedly omitted from the November 1 local government election ballot papers, raising concerns over electoral irregularities. After his arrest, Nagenu was transferred to the Niger State CID in Minna, where his lawyer described his conditions as stable but dehumanising.
