Lawyers Petition NSCDC Commandant Over Alleged Arbitrary Arrest, Rights Violation Of Female Student
By Our Reporter
Human rights lawyers have petitioned the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), over what they described as the “arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, extortion attempt, and invasion of privacy” of a female student, Miss Ann Divine Esiet, allegedly carried out by the Head of Intelligence Department, Mr. Kelvin Maruwa, and his investigation team at the FCT Command.
In a petition signed by J. Brown Udobang Esq. of Jacob B. Udobang & Associates, the legal firm alleged that Miss Esiet was summoned by Mr. Maruwa on May 15, 2025, over a petition purportedly filed by her boyfriend, Mr. John Wesley Wisdom, accusing her of allegedly defrauding him of ₦536,000, criminal breach of trust, and cheating.
The lawyers claim that upon arrival at the FCT Command, the student was interrogated under duress, coerced into making a confessional statement without legal representation, and threatened with detention unless she refunded the alleged amount.
According to the petition, Mr. Maruwa allegedly demanded ₦300,000 for her release, later reducing it to ₦150,000, and seized her phone under the pretext of directives from the FCT Commandant.
The petition further alleged that, the complaint against Miss Esiet did not follow due process, with the FCT Commandant reportedly unaware of the petition and the complainant absent during initial proceedings. It also questioned the NSCDC’s authority to recover alleged debts like the police, suggesting the investigation was “compromised.”
The lawyers accused the officers of violating Miss Esiet’s constitutional rights to liberty and privacy by detaining her from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and unlawfully accessing her phone. They called for the arrest, prosecution, and disciplinary sanction of all NSCDC officers involved.
The petition was also copied to the President of the National Council for Civil Society Organizations, and the President of the Nigeria Bloggers Forum, both of whom reportedly intervened to secure the release of the student’s phone.
The NSCDC is yet to officially respond to the allegations as of press time.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja is set to determine a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Miss Ann Divine Esiet, a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, against top officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over alleged harassment, intimidation, unlawful detention, and attempts to compel her to retract claims of sexual assault.
In the suit, coming up on September 24, 2025, Miss Esiet alleged that, one Mr. John Wesley Wisdom, the 6th respondent, lured her into a relationship in December 2024 with promises of marriage, showering her with gifts, cash, and trips.
She claimed, he later sexually assaulted her in an apartment in Lekki, Lagos, and exposed her to suspicious ritual items.
According to her affidavit, Mr. Wisdom invited her to Benin City in April 2025 to manage a purported poultry farm, but inquiries revealed the location was notorious for ritual killings, kidnapping, and fraud.
Miss Esiet further alleged that, after reporting her concerns to the NSCDC, officers mishandled the investigation, demanded she return ₦536,000 allegedly received from Mr. Wisdom, and pressured her to withdraw her claims and apologize via WhatsApp messages.
She is seeking a declaration that her rights to dignity, liberty, and freedom of movement were violated, and is asking the court to grant all reliefs sought in her application.
The case has raised public interest over alleged abuse of power by security personnel and the handling of gender-based violence complaints.