Inside Nigeria’s Hidden Military Prison Where Terrorists, Protesters, Students, ‘Enemies Of The State’ Are Held Without Trial The road to Wa...
Inside Nigeria’s Hidden Military Prison Where Terrorists, Protesters, Students, ‘Enemies Of The State’ Are Held Without Trial
The road to Wawa military prison, hidden deep in Nigeria’s North Central region, is deliberately veiled in secrecy. No one, except the military, knows the exact route.
Detainees are blindfolded kilometres before arrival. Even upon release, they are similarly masked and led out, unsure of where they’ve been or how to return.
On July 27, 2021, eleven individuals travelling home to the South-East after attending the court trial of Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), were reportedly intercepted by the Department of State Services (DSS) near Lokoja, Kogi State.
Accused of being members of IPOB’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, they were reportedly swiftly detained and held in an underground DSS facility in Abuja.
Within weeks, two of them, Nonso Awoke, a final-year computer science student at Ebonyi State University, and Pius Awoke, a practiSing lawyer, were separated from the group, shackled, and sent for what authorities called “military investigation.”
They would end up in one of Nigeria’s most secretive military detention centres: Wawa Barracks, according HumAngle.
Mapping a Hidden Prison
Though officially located in Niger State, the precise position of Wawa prison remained a mystery for years.
Some reports linked it to Wawa town, others to New Bussa or Kainji.
But a 2024 investigation by HumAngle used satellite imagery and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) to locate it on the Kainji-Wawa highway, about four kilometres east of Wawa town and equally distant from the Nigerian Air Force base in New Bussa.
The report noted that the facility is buried inside a vast military compound off the Wawa-Wakwa road, nestled between Wawa town and Tamanai village in Borgu Local Government Area.
According to insiders, it consists of nine two-storey blocks, labeled ‘A’ to ‘I’, surrounded by double perimeter walls.
“Each floor contains 10 cells,” Pius was quoted as saying. “In every cell, there are 15 inmates, making approximately 450 per block.”
The Detainee Demographics
Wawa is said to primarily hold detainees accused of terrorism, mostly alleged members of Boko Haram or its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
In 2017, a closed military court held at Wawa tried over 1,600 such suspects, convicting several and sentencing them to prison terms ranging from three to 60 years.
The prison reportedly came under ISWAP attack in October 2022, aimed at freeing detained fighters.
The mission failed. The group lost eight men, including a commander.
But it’s not just jihadists inside; Wawa’s detainees include a disturbing mix, civilians arrested during the #EndSARS protests, underage boys, mentally ill individuals, and even herders accused of kidnapping.
A growing group of Igbo detainees were reportedly rounded up in the wake of security crackdowns following the 2020 protests, particularly in Obigbo, Rivers State.
#EndSARS and the Obigbo Siege
In Obigbo, security forces, allegedly responding to IPOB-related violence, conducted house-to-house raids after Governor Nyesom Wike declared a curfew.
What followed were allegations of rape, torture, and arbitrary arrests.
“Thirty-four of them were taken to Wawa,” Nonso was quoted as saying.
“Some of them were conductors and drivers going about their business. One of them was arrested for having a tattoo. Another was arrested for having a beard.”
Emeka Umeagbasi, director of civil rights group Intersociety, corroborated these findings.
“In our recent report, there’s a declassified document showing a request by the Nigerian Army for the transfer of so-called Boko Haram and IPOB terrorist suspects from the police to Wawa,” he said, according to HumAngle.
The Tiv Connection and Gana’s Death
Another large group inside Wawa are Tivs from Benue State, rounded up after the controversial killing of militia leader Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana.
On September 8, 2020, Gana and his men surrendered during a peace convoy after a reconciliation meeting.
They were arrested by the military, and Gana was reportedly executed. Photos of his mutilated corpse later surfaced on social media.
Tor Gowon Yaro, who petitioned the National Human Rights Commission for the release of 76 of Gana’s men, said, “None of them has been released. None that I’m aware of.”
Pius, who was detained with some of them, added, “They beat them in a way that when they got to that detention, most of them died.”
Borno's Detained Youth and The Knifar Movement
In Borno State, the military has for years detained hundreds of civilians after clearing Boko Haram-held areas.
Suspected of being collaborators, many were trucked to military camps like Giwa Barracks or Wawa.
Those captured while trying to flee to safety were also detained.
“Half of Borno youths, especially the Kanuris, are in detention,” Pius reportedly said.
The Knifar Movement, a group of displaced women, emerged to demand justice for these detained men.
While some have been released, including over 1,000 from Giwa and Wawa, many remain incarcerated without trial.
Life Inside the Prison Walls
Life in Wawa is said to be brutal and monotonous.
“Once you’re inside, you’re inside,” said Nonso. “You may not step outside for a year.”
Cells, often smaller than the average bedroom, hold 15 people. There’s no privacy, no doors on toilets or showers.
Belongings are limited to mats and jerricans. Sleeping space is minimal; blankets are used to demarcate personal areas.
Inmates pass time praying, chatting, or playing board games. Some read Hausa literature provided by the Red Cross.
Meals are meagre, beans without beans, just water, and often eaten only once a day due to scarcity.
“If they gave us beans, you would not see a single seed,” said Pius. “I once went a whole month without bathing.”
Conditions improve temporarily during visits by the Red Cross. But those visits became rare.
“The Red Cross stopped coming for over a year before I was released,” Pius said. “We heard it was because the soldiers mismanaged what they brought.”
Total Isolation, No News
Wawa also cuts off inmates from the outside world. There are no radios, newspapers, or visits.
“I didn’t know they changed money,” Pius recalled, referring to Nigeria’s 2023 currency redesign.
“I didn’t even know who was running for president.”
This information blackout extends to personal matters. Nonso’s mother believed him dead for nearly three years until she finally heard his voice on the day of his release in June 2024.
By then, she had spent two months in the hospital from stress and grief.
Death Comes Quietly: In Wawa, death is routine.
“Earnest, one of those brought in from Port Harcourt, died of diabetes complications,” Pius said.
Umeagbasi told HumAngle that in September 2024, at least 10 detainees died in one week alone.
“A Muslim lieutenant colonel told our undercover agent, ‘Look at how your people are dying here.’”
Nonso saw dead bodies being dragged from cells. Pius said he knew of at least 10 deaths, despite minimal contact between cells.
By the time Pius was released in mid-2024, the prisoner population had grown to over 5,000.
He said the abuse intensified with each new batch.
“Those who came after us had it worse. They sustained serious injuries and weren’t treated.”
One woman, held for 11 years, said the beatings stopped for a time but resumed before her release.
No Charges, No Trials
Throughout their nearly three-year ordeal, neither Nonso nor Pius saw a courtroom.
Their eventual release came only after intense media coverage and advocacy by the Nigerian Bar Association.
No formal charges were filed. No trials were held. Their only crime appeared to be attending a trial or living in the wrong neighbourhood at the wrong time.
Unfortunately, neither the Red Cross nor the Nigerian Army has released an official comment on the matter.
A Prison Beyond the Law
Wawa prison reportedly operates in the shadows, beyond the reach of the courts, outside the oversight of civilian institutions, and in violation of Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees.
Its detainees are invisible, its walls impenetrable, and its stories rarely heard.
“I didn’t know if I’d ever leave,” Nonso said.
But perhaps that is the most haunting reality because many never do.
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