Protesters Demand Justice as Court Hears Case Against Amnesty Boss Dennis Otuaro, Tompolo Over Alleged Human Rights Abuses
A wave of outrage swept through Abuja on Tuesday as protesters stormed the premises of the Federal High Court, demanding justice for victims allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and unlawfully detained by the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dennis Otuaro, and former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
The demonstrators, numbering in their hundreds, carried placards with bold inscriptions such as “Sack Dennis Otuaro Now!”, “Running Private Prisons is a Crime Against Humanity!”, and “Free Bala Karowei, Free Charles Kubrobo!” They accused Otuaro and Tompolo of running what they described as “private detention camps” in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State.
The protest coincided with the court hearing of a suit alleging human rights violations, illegal detention, forced labor, and ritual killings linked to the two men and several unnamed associates.
According to court filings and witness testimonies, several victims were purportedly abducted and held incommunicado in makeshift detention camps in the Niger Delta, where they were subjected to severe abuse and, in some cases, never seen again.
Among those reportedly still being held are Comrade Charles Korubon and Mr. Kariowei Bala, both of whom were mentioned repeatedly during the protest as symbols of the ongoing injustice.
Human rights activists present at the scene described the allegations as “grave crimes against humanity” and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately suspend Otuaro pending the outcome of investigations.
“Mr. President cannot keep silent while such weighty allegations hang over one of his appointees,” said one of the protest leaders. “If these camps truly exist, they are an affront to every principle of democracy and human decency.”
Another demonstrator, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, accused government officials of concealing the truth from the presidency. “They’ve been paid to tell Tinubu everything is fine, while people are dying in secret detention camps,” he said.
The protest also drew the attention of international human rights observers, with several advocacy groups reportedly monitoring the proceedings. Some demonstrators even called on foreign leaders, including Donald J. Trump, Donald Trump Jr., JD Vance, and Senator Ted Cruz, to “take notice of Nigeria’s human rights crisis.”
In a strongly worded statement, one activist declared:
> “The world is watching Nigeria. If President Tinubu fails to act decisively, history will remember this as a moment when his administration chose silence over justice.”
Both Otuaro and Tompolo have denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the allegations are politically motivated and intended to tarnish their reputations.
As the court proceedings continue, the victims’ families remain hopeful that justice will prevail — but on the streets of Abuja, frustration is mounting. The chants grow louder with each passing day:“We need action now!”
