Plateau: Army Accused of Detaining Human Rights Defender

A Plateau State-based human rights defender and conflict reporter, Lawrence Zongo, has reportedly been detained by soldiers after visiting a military medical facility in Jos to see relatives injured in an attack in Bassa Local Government Area. Sources familiar with the incident said Zongo was allegedly taken into custody on Monday at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barracks, which houses the headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division in Jos. He had reportedly gone to the facility after relatives were attacked in Miango, Bassa LGA, on Sunday night. One of his first cousins was among those reportedly injured and later died from injuries sustained in the attack. The sources alleged that soldiers arrested Zongo while he was at the facility and that he remained in custody without being formally charged. They also claimed he had been denied access to his lawyers and family members. However, the allegations could not be independently verified as of Wednesday afternoon.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division, Victor Olukoya, said he was unaware of the reported detention and asked to be contacted later because he was not in a convenient place to speak at the time. Subsequent text messages sent to him seeking clarification had not received a response as of the time of filing the report. Zongo has for years documented insecurity and alleged human rights abuses across Plateau State. He has worked as a conflict reporter and human rights documenter, including with TruthNigeria, and has also volunteered with Amnesty International. His work has focused extensively on violence and its impact on communities in Plateau, including attacks in Bassa and other parts of the state. The circumstances surrounding his reported detention, including the reason for his alleged arrest and his current status, remain unclear.

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