It has been three weeks since Stanley Chukwu, a cryptocurrency trader in Abuja, was arrested by the Nigerian Army and detained without explanation or access to legal representation.

His continued detention has made his family concerned as efforts to gain information about his arrest have been met with silence.

According to Stanley’s sister, military personnel stormed their father’s store in Bwari on November 12, demanding he accompany them to Stanley’s residence. Armed and intimidating, the soldiers reportedly offered no reason for their actions before arresting Stanley.

“They didn’t explain anything. They just said they were looking for someone named ‘John Bosco’. They claimed they would detain my brother until they found this John Bosco. That was all they told us,” his sister told FIJ.

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After taking Stanley into custody, the soldiers returned their father to the store and left. Since then, the family has been unable to contact Stanley, who they say was transferred to the Military Intelligence Unit. Efforts to gain information about his detention have been unfruitful.

“The only time we got a response from the Presidential Guard, they confirmed he was arrested and handed over to Army Intelligence. But they said they couldn’t reveal anything to us,” she said.

Stanley’s sister added that the family were worried, as his devices were confiscated during the arrest, and they have no updates about his condition or whereabouts.

FIJ reached out to the Army spokesperson for comments regarding the arrest, but as of press time, all attempts had been futile. Calls placed to his phone on Sunday did not connect. Also, messages sent via SMS and WhatsApp remain unreplied to.

But Stanley’s family insist they want answers.

“He’s a crypto trader. They took everything from him, and we’ve not heard from him since. The last picture we have of him is from the day they arrested him,” his sister lamented.

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By law, the Nigerian Army does not have the authority to detain individuals who are not subject to the Armed Forces Act or other relevant military laws. When the army makes an arrest, the suspect must be handed over to the police, who are legally mandated under the Nigerian Constitution to ensure the suspect has access to legal representation.