Today, Ijaw veterans, leaders, and critical stakeholders, in collaboration with the family of Mr. Isaac Tamunoibifiri Bristol-Alagbariya, convened a press conference at the Ernest Ikoli Press Center in Port Harcourt to demand the immediate and unconditional release of their son, Isaac, who has been unlawfully detained by the Nigeria Police Force.
The incident leading to this press statement occurred on August 5, 2024, when Mr. Bristol-Alagbariya was forcefully arrested by police officers in plain clothes at Osmosis Hotel, Ada Road, Port Harcourt. The officers, arriving in two Lexus RX350 SUVs, forcibly broke into Isaac’s hotel room around 1:12 p.m., taking him away to an undisclosed location without informing his family or the public of his whereabouts.
Isaac’s family, unaware of the incident until the following day, began an immediate search for him across various police formations in Port Harcourt. Despite multiple attempts to locate him, including an inquiry at the Police Communication radio room and a visit to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Mini-Okoro Police Station, the police denied any knowledge of his arrest and detention.
On August 10, 2024, Isaac was reportedly transferred from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Port Harcourt to the National Cyber Crime Center (NCCC) in Abuja. This transfer, according to the family, was done under inhumane conditions—Isaac was handcuffed, beaten, tortured, and subjected to severe psychological trauma, receiving only minimal food while in detention.
During his transfer, the police publicly humiliated Isaac, falsely branding him as a notorious kidnapper and armed robber in front of fellow passengers at the Port Harcourt International Airport. This public shaming was repeated at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja.
The charges against Isaac were later altered from “notorious kidnapper/armed robber” to “unlawful possession, leakage of classified documents, and cyber-related offenses” after his relocation to Abuja. The family and stakeholders view this sudden change in charges as highly suspicious and indicative of foul play by the police.
Further allegations were made against officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, who were reportedly seen wearing and using items—including shoes, perfumes, wristwatches, and designer clothes—stolen from Isaac’s hotel room shortly after his arrest. The family condemned these actions as a blatant display of corruption and a gross violation of Isaac’s rights.
The press statement emphasized that Isaac has been treated as guilty until proven innocent, a direct violation of the legal principle that presumes every citizen innocent until proven guilty. The Ijaw leaders and family of Isaac Bristol-Alagbariya condemned the Nigeria Police Force’s actions as a desecration of the laws they are meant to uphold and called for an immediate end to such abuses.
The Ijaw community, alongside Isaac’s family, demands his immediate and unconditional release and an investigation into the misconduct and corruption within the Nigeria Police Force. They urged the public to stand against the continued erosion of justice and human rights in Nigeria.
