Omoyele Sowore has raised concerns over the prolonged detention of Anambra native doctor Akwa Okuko.
He questioned the legality of the case and urged Governor Soludo to address the matter immediately.
Human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has expressed strong concerns over the continued detention of well known Anambra native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly called Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki.
Nwangwu, who hails from Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area, has reportedly been held by the Anambra State Government since early February 2025. Two other traditional practitioners are also said to be in custody alongside him.
In a statement issued on Friday, Sowore criticized the prolonged detention and questioned the legality of keeping the three men without clear information about their alleged offences. He argued that no citizen should be imprisoned for practicing traditional religion or engaging in indigenous spirituality.
He asked whether it had suddenly become a crime to practice traditional beliefs, adding that there might be undisclosed details the public is not being informed about. He urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to bring the matter to an end and release the men without delay. Sowore said the situation amounted to the persecution of law abiding individuals who have not been publicly linked to any criminal act.
The activist faulted state officials for failing to explain why the men were arrested or whether any charges had been filed. He described the lack of transparency as troubling and contrary to constitutional guarantees of freedom of thought, belief and expression. According to him, the silence around the case suggests a disregard for due process and raises doubts about the protection of human rights in Anambra State.
Nwangwu, a widely recognized spiritual consultant, is known across the Southeast for his traditional practices. He also survived a widely reported abduction in 2023, which brought him even more public attention.
Sowore insisted that the rule of law must be upheld and that the government has a duty to provide Nigerians with clear answers on why the men are still in custody.
