JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Deprecated: The WP_Dependencies->add_data() function was called with an argument i.e deprecated from version 6.9.0! IE conditional comments are ignored by all supported browsers. In /home/corerepo/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php online 6260
Just in! Assault on Human Rights Defenders: Nigerian Army Allegedly Detains Zongo in Jos
From our journalist
Jos (Top Reporters) — Concern has been raised over the detention of human rights defender Lawrence Zongo by the Nigerian Army after he visited a military hospital in Jos to attend to relatives injured in an attack by gunmen in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Zongo, a human rights defender and Amnesty International volunteer, was reportedly arrested on Monday 5 October 2026 at the military facility within the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barracks, Headquarters of the Third Division of the Nigerian Army.
He had reportedly gone to the facility to assist family members who were attacked in Meyango, Bassa LGA, on Sunday night.
Sources close to the incident said one of Zongo’s first cousins died from injuries sustained in the attack before he arrived at hospital late Monday morning.
The sources said soldiers arrested Zongo while he was still at the facility and have since held him in custody without charge.
They also said he had been denied access to his lawyers and family members, describing the detention as incommunicado.
Sources also said Zongo was wearing Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses when he visited the military facility, suggesting this may have contributed to his arrest. However, the claim cannot be independently verified.
At the time of filing this report, the circumstances surrounding Zongo’s detention, the specific reason for his arrest, and whether any formal charges had been brought against him remained unclear.
The Nigerian military has yet to publicly comment on the reported detention.
The incident has renewed concerns about the treatment of human rights defenders and the need for security agencies to uphold due process and respect the fundamental rights of detained people.
It also highlights the call for transparency whenever people are detained by security agencies, particularly where no formal charges or explanations have been made public.
