Civil society organizations under the Justice and Rule of Law coalition have staged a protest at the Delta State Police Command headquarters in Asaba over the alleged unlawful detention of two bricklayers after police reportedly collected ₦500,000 for their bail.

The protesters, carrying placards with inscriptions such as "I support the Bail Is Free campaign," marched through Okpanam Road to the police headquarters, demanding the immediate release of Henry Umukoro and Godfrey Jonah, who have been detained without formal charges.

According to Rev. David Ugolor, Coordinator of the group and Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Godfrey Jonah was arrested on April 11, 2025, by officers from the Oghara Division in connection with a mob action against a suspected thief. His colleague, Henry Umukoro, who visited the station to secure Jonah's release, was also detained without evidence linking him to the alleged crime.

"The two bricklayers were initially granted bail after two days, following payment of a staggering sum of ₦500,000 allegedly collected by the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of the Oghara Police Division," Ugolor stated. "A few days later, both men were rearrested without a court order and transferred to the Delta State Police Command, Asaba."

The coalition condemned what they described as "a blatant abuse of power" and "a direct violation of the Nigerian Constitution," calling it a "gross miscarriage of justice" that highlights corruption within policing institutions.

The protesters presented three key demands: immediate and unconditional release of the detained bricklayers, an independent investigation into the conduct of all officers involved, and disciplinary action against any officer found culpable in the unlawful detention and alleged corruption.

Responding to the protesters, Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, SP Edafe Bright, appealed for calm, assuring that authorities were addressing the case. He revealed that the command had already ordered an immediate refund of the ₦500,000 allegedly collected by the Oghara Divisional Crime Officer.

Representatives of the protesters were later invited to meet with the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Olufemi Abaniwonda, though the outcome of this meeting was not immediately disclosed.

The case has drawn significant attention to ongoing concerns about police practices and the implementation of Nigeria's "Bail Is Free" policy, which prohibits the collection of money for the release of suspects on bail.