Free Julius AyukTabe and All Ambazonian Prisoners of Conscience

It has been 150 days since the Nigerian secret service seized Julius AyukTabe, known for his nonviolent leadership of the movement for the rights of the people of Ambazonia (Southern Cameroons), and 11 of his senior aides at the Nera Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. It is time to bring them home, and we need your help! Join the campaign to Free Julius AyukTabe and All Ambazonian Prisoners of Conscience! DOWNLOAD POSTER HERE | PRINTABLE PETITION

On January 5, 2018, the Nigerian secret service seized Julius AyukTabe, known for his nonviolent leadership of the movement for the rights of the people of Ambazonia (Southern Cameroons), and 11 of his senior aides at the Nera hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. The group had gathered to plan a meeting with the UNHCR to discuss the plight of thousands of refugees from Ambazonia, who have crossed the border into Nigeria fleeing violence at the hands of the French Cameroon military.

Then, on January 26, 2018 — with no extradition treaty between Cameroon and Nigeria, and without the involvement of a judge — Nigeria forcibly handed some of the 12 prisoners along with 37 other refugees to Cameroon in violation of non-refoulement, a fundamental principle of international law which forbids a country receiving asylum seekers from returning them to a country in which they would be in likely danger of persecution. This action drew condemnation from Amnesty International, the UNHCR, the United States Department of State, and other leading human rights advocates.

Four weeks later Nigeria released Barrister Nalowa Bih and Dr. Ojong Okongho, two of the 11 individuals arrested along with Julius AyukTabe.

As of June 2018, It is not clear which of the remaining prisoners are being held by Nigeria, and which by Cameroon. It has been nearly a 150 days since they were taken into custody, yet none of them have been brought before a judge or charged with a crime in either country. They continue to be held incommunicado. Their names are:

Mr. Julius AyukTabe — American University of Nigeria in Yola, North Eastern Nigeria
Mr. Wilfred Tassang — organizer with the Ambazonia teachers Union, CAPTAC
Professor Augustine Awasum — Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Northern Nigeria
Dr. Cornelius Njikimpi Kwanga — Umaru Musa Yar’adua University in Katsina, Nigeria
Dr. Henry Kimeng — Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
Dr. Fidelis Ndeh-Che — American University of Nigeria in Yola, North Eastern Nigeria
Dr. Egbe Ogork — Associate Professor, Bayero University in Kano
Barrister Shufai Berinyuy — Organizer with the Ambazonia Legal workers Union
Barrister Eyambe Elias — Organizer with the Ambazonia Legal workers Union
Dr. Nfor Ngalla Nfor — Ambazonia Civil Society leader

UPDATE: Our efforts are working! Mr. AyukTabe has now been granted access to a lawyer. We will continue to press forward until he and all Ambazonian Prisoners of Conscience receive their well-deserved freedom!