Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian military, particularly the authorities of Operation HADIN KAI, to immediately charge or release civilians allegedly being held in prolonged and arbitrary detention at the Joint Investigation Centre (JIC) in Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The human rights organisation said its investigation uncovered what it described as a disturbing pattern of arbitrary arrests, extortion and prolonged detention without trial, practices it argued violate the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as international human rights and humanitarian law.
According to Amnesty International, several civilians from different parts of Borno State have allegedly been detained for extended periods without formal charges, access to legal representation or regular contact with their families.
Among the cases cited is that of Mohammed Kontoma, a roadside petrol trader from Konduga Local Government Area, who was reportedly arrested in Maiduguri while transporting 25 litres of petrol and has remained in detention at Giwa Barracks since August 2025 without being charged in court.
The organisation also highlighted the case of Aisami Abatcha, a commercial pickup driver from Gubio Local Government Area, who was allegedly arrested on April 13, 2026, along the Dunga-Gubio Road after refusing to pay an alleged bribe demanded by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) at a checkpoint before being handed over to military authorities.
In another instance, Amnesty International alleged that Abubakar Isa Izge, a charcoal trader from Gwoza Local Government Area, was arrested on the same day in Gidan Dambe by officers said to be from the Department of State Services (DSS) before being transferred to Giwa Barracks. The organisation further claimed that his family reported the disappearance of ₦700,000 during the arrest.
The report further cited the case of Umar Usman, a fisherman from Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area, who was reportedly arrested in 2024 for using a small solar panel to charge mobile phones and has allegedly remained in detention for two years without formal charges or access to his family.
Amnesty International also alleged that Abor Modu, a resident of Jere Local Government Area, was detained after reporting alleged extortion and threats by members of the CJTF, while another resident, Kyari Modu Kukawa, was reportedly arrested in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area, in October 2025 and has remained in detention without trial or legal representation.
The organisation urged Nigerian authorities to investigate the allegations, end what it described as arbitrary arrests and extortion at checkpoints by CJTF personnel, and ensure that all detainees are granted prompt access to lawyers, their families and the courts.
It further called on the Federal Government to ensure that counter-insurgency operations in the North-East are conducted in full compliance with the rule of law and internationally recognised human rights standards.
Amnesty International stressed that the right to liberty requires that no individual should be arrested except on reasonable suspicion of committing a recognised criminal offence, while the right to a fair trial guarantees prompt appearance before a competent court, access to legal counsel, protection from torture or other forms of ill-treatment, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
The Nigerian military has not publicly responded to the specific allegations contained in Amnesty International’s statement.
