Former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that a woman detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2021 has died while in the agency’s custody.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Sowore claimed that Mrs. Calista Ifedi, who was being held at the DSS Wawa Barracks detention facility, died after years of what he described as unlawful detention, denial of due process, and lack of medical care.
According to Sowore, Mrs. Ifedi was arrested on November 23, 2021, alongside her husband, Mr. Sunday Ifedi, at their residence in Enugu State. The couple were initially detained at the DSS headquarters before being transferred to the Wawa Barracks facility in March 2022, where they were separated and allegedly never allowed to see each other again.
Sowore said Mr. Ifedi, who was released from detention in December 2025, last saw his wife in March 2022 and was never informed by the DSS about her death. He stated that he personally broke the news to Mr. Ifedi before making the matter public.
The activist said sustained advocacy by Amnesty International Nigeria, human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju, and other campaigners had earlier drawn attention to Mrs. Ifedi’s case. He alleged that her only “offence” was that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had bought food from her restaurant in Enugu.
Sowore further claimed that while in detention at Wawa Barracks, Mrs. Ifedi fell seriously ill but was denied medical treatment, ignored by officials, and allegedly subjected to taunts until she died.
He described her detention and death as a “grave abuse of power” and “egregious crimes,” calling for the immediate closure of the Wawa Barracks detention facility. Sowore also demanded the identification, arrest, and prosecution of all DSS officials involved in her detention, neglect, and death.
The activist linked the incident to the tenure of former DSS Director-General, Yusuf Bichi, alleging that widespread abuses occurred under his leadership with the backing of officials in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sowore also called on Nigerian authorities to produce Mrs. Ifedi’s body and conduct an independent autopsy to determine the exact cause and circumstances of her death.
“The Department of State Services has admitted that Mrs. Calista Ifedi, who was detained since 2021 for allegedly selling food to IPOB members, died while in custody at Wawa Barracks,” Sowore said. “Her detention was unlawful, she was denied due process, and reports indicate she fell ill in custody without receiving adequate medical care. This confirms a tragic failure of the Nigerian state to protect life.”
As of the time of filing this report, the DSS had not issued a public statement responding to Sowore’s allegations.
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