NDC Alleges Torture of Defected Member, Demands Release from Kogi Police Custody

LOKOJA, NIGERIA  — The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised an alarm over the alleged illegal detention and physical maltreatment of one of its members, Faruk Ozigi Onimisi, by the Kogi State Police Command.

According to a statement released by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Abdulmumin Ohiare Abdulsalam, Onimisi was reportedly seized from his residence in Kubwa, Abuja, in a manner described as “kidnapping style.”

The opposition figure, who recently defected to the NDC from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is reportedly being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lokoja.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the NDC is accusing the Kogi State Government of instigating the arrest under the pretext that Onimisi was organizing a civic protest.

The party further alleged that the activist is being subjected to daily torture and solitary confinement while being denied access to his legal team and family members.

“We are inundated with information that the political activist is being held in the most inhumane conditions,” Abdulsalam stated, adding that the detention without formal charges is a breach of fundamental human rights.

The NDC has called on the police authorities to either release Onimisi immediately or charge him to court if any laws have been breached. They described the “planning of a protest” allegation as a familiar smokescreen used to silence dissent in the state.

In a strong warning to the Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo-led administration, the NDC threatened to escalate the matter to international bodies, including the ECOWAS Court and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The party’s national legal team is reportedly preparing to seek reparations for what it termed “bellicose oppression” against opposition figures, particularly in the Kogi Central senatorial district.

While urging its supporters to remain law-abiding, the NDC leadership maintained that it would not tolerate the continued harassment of members who choose to associate outside the ruling fold.

As at the time of filing this report to NaijaChoice News, the Kogi State Police Command has yet to issue an official response regarding the specific allegations of torture or the legal status of the detainee.

The situation highlights the growing tension between the ruling party and the newly emerging opposition forces in Kogi State ahead of future electoral cycles.