The Niger-Delta Civil Advocacy Group (NDCAG) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the continued detention and prosecution of the Managing Director of Chappal Energies, Mr Ufoma Joseph Immanuel, over an alleged criminalisation of a private commercial dispute.
In a formal protest letter, the group urged President Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to urgently review the case and determine whether Immanuel’s continued detention and prosecution are consistent with existing court judgments and orders.
The protest letter, jointly signed by leaders of the group across the six states of the Niger Delta, stated that the dispute over which Immanuel is being determined detained, involved
another businessman, Adebisi Adebutu.
It added that the dispute centres on commercial investment arrangements involving three firms – Chappal Energies Mauritius Limited, Intermediate and Investment Holdings Limited and R28 Limited, linked to the acquisition of assets of another firm, Equinor Nigeria.
The group maintained that the issues in contention, including disputed shareholding arrangements, subscription rights, investment obligations and financing arrangements, were fundamentally commercial matters that should not be transformed into criminal proceedings.
It cited a 2025 suit before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, which it said granted an interlocutory order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force from arresting, detaining or prosecuting Immanuel in connection with the disputed commercial arrangements.
NDCAG also referred to a February 10, 2026 judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos, which it said found the EFCC’s declaration of Immanuel as wanted unjustified and a violation of his fundamental rights.
According to the group, the court ordered the EFCC to retract the publications and awarded N5 million in damages against it. The advocacy organisation questioned why Immanuel remained in detention despite allegedly cooperating with the authorities.
It noted that he voluntarily honoured an invitation from the Department of State Services on March 3, 2026, and subsequently complied with a court order requiring him to surrender his Nigerian and British passports to the EFCC.
The group questioned the revocation of his bail on May 7, 2026, reportedly on grounds that he could be a flight risk or interfere with the EFCC investigation, arguing that his cooperation with authorities and surrender of his passports raised questions about the basis for the flight-risk claim.
The group also called for an independent investigation into allegations surrounding the dispute, including claims that Adebutu’s petition to the EFCC triggered the criminal proceedings and that commercial interests could be affected by Immanuel’s continued absence from the management of the companies.
It stressed, however, that some allegations against Adebutu remained unverified and should be independently investigated.
NDCAG urged the President Tinubu to establish whether the EFCC had complied with all relevant court orders and whether the criminal process was being used to exert pressure in what was essentially a private commercial dispute.
It also demanded immediate and comprehensive medical care for Immanuel while in custody and called for investigation of alleged threats to and members some members of his family.
The group sought Immanuel’s immediate release, subject to any lawful conditions imposed by a competent court, and urged the authorities to discontinue the criminal proceedings if no sustainable criminal case exists.
NDCAG said its appeal was not intended to interfere with judicial independence but to ensure that executive agencies operate within the Constitution, obey lawful court orders and protect citizens’ fundamental rights.
It described the matter as a test of public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system, insisting that “the liberty of a citizen should not become a bargaining tool in a commercial dispute.”
The letter was jointly signed by the NDCAG President, Embale Jonathan; Secretary, Omeiza Ogumah; Publicity Secretary,
Ibinabo Boma among others.
