A recent report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, known as Intersociety, suggests that frequent military operations and the detention of Igbo youths have discouraged people in the South-East from joining security agencies. Lead researcher Emeka Umeagbalasi and board chairman Prof. Justin Akujieze stated that over 6,000 families are currently unable to locate relatives allegedly taken by security forces.
The report claims that those apprehended are frequently accused of being associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra or its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network. These actions have fostered a deep reluctance among families to permit their children to join the Nigerian Armed Forces. Data reveals that around 5,000 civilians were already missing between 2015 and 2019, with many detainees reportedly transferred to facilities in Northern Nigeria, such as the WAWA Military Cantonment, without notice to their families.
According to the findings, military personnel are responsible for roughly 70 percent of the disappearances reported since January 2021, with the remainder linked to the police and the State Security Service. To address this, Intersociety has demanded that the Defence Headquarters disclose the status and location of all detainees. The organization is also advocating for the formation of independent judicial commissions to investigate these disappearances and alleged human rights abuses across the region.
