Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has raised the alarm over the alleged deteriorating health of an Abuja-based businessman, Ufoma Joseph Immanuel, currently detained at the Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre in Lagos.
The rights group is demanding his immediate transfer to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), in compliance with a Federal High Court order directing that he receive medical treatment at the facility.
In a statement on Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA said the continued detention of Ufoma had become a matter of concern because it involved his health, liberty and fundamental rights as a detainee who had not been convicted.
The group said the Tunji Braithwaite Foundation (TBF), which has been monitoring the case, first alerted correctional authorities on July 10, 2026, to Ufoma’s alleged deteriorating health and requested his urgent transfer to a hospital.
According to HURIWA, after the alleged failure of the authorities to act, TBF approached the Federal High Court, where Justice D. E. Osiagor, on July 16, ordered that Ufoma be immediately transferred to LASUTH for medical treatment.
The rights group, however, alleged that the order had yet to be complied with.
HURIWA said TBF had also served Form 48 on the Controller of Corrections, Lagos State Command, warning of the consequences of alleged disobedience of the court order.
The association described a court order as binding on government agencies and urged the Minister of Interior and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service to intervene and ensure immediate compliance.
“A court order is not a piece of advice to a government agency. It is a command of the law and must be obeyed,” HURIWA said.
The group also called for an independent investigation into allegations that correctional officials may have been improperly influenced to prevent Ufoma’s medical transfer.
It stressed, however, that any allegation of bribery remained an allegation and should be investigated independently before any conclusion was reached.
HURIWA also questioned the circumstances surrounding the criminal case against Ufoma, saying its understanding was that the matter arose from a commercial dispute involving business and shareholding interests.
The association said it was concerned about what it described as the prolonged criminal detention of a person in connection with what it considers a commercial disagreement, while acknowledging that the proper legal character of the dispute remained a matter for the courts to determine.
The group urged all parties to allow the judicial process to run its course while ensuring that Ufoma’s constitutional rights were protected.
It reminded the authorities that an accused person remained presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
HURIWA further expressed concern over reports of repeated denial of bail, seizure of Ufoma’s passport and the freezing of his bank accounts and those of his wife.
It urged the court and relevant authorities to ensure that any restrictions placed on the accused were lawful and consistent with fair hearing and due process.
The rights group said Ufoma’s health should remain the immediate priority, warning that prolonged denial of access to adequate medical care could affect his ability to participate effectively in his defence.
“Only the living can face justice. Only the living can defend themselves against criminal allegations,” the association said.
HURIWA therefore demanded Ufoma’s immediate transfer to LASUTH in accordance with the Federal High Court order and urged the correctional authorities to provide him with adequate medical attention while the legal proceedings continue.
The group warned that the case should not become another example of how prolonged detention, delayed medical care and alleged disregard for due process could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.
It called on the Minister of Interior, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other relevant authorities to act without further delay.
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