“Has the Nigerian Constitution Been Suspended? Citizens Demand Justice for Ms. Emmason”

Has the Nigerian Constitution Been Suspended? A Call for Answers

In every inaugural oath of office in Nigeria, leaders stand before the people and God, swearing to defend the Constitution and uphold justice, fairness, and equality. Yet, time and again, those oaths are violated with no accountability. One is left to ask: has the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria been suspended?

Today, I write not just as a concerned Nigerian, youth empowerment advocate, but as a voice calling upon Ibom Air, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Air Force, and every security apparatus in our airports, alongside the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to explain why these violations persist unchecked.

A Case in Point: The Ordeal of Ms. Emmason

On the 10th of August, 2025, a young Nigerian woman in her twenties, Ms. Emmason, was subjected to treatment that shocks the conscience of any society that claims to uphold justice and human dignity.

According to her own account:

She was stripped naked, her underwear pulled out, and her private parts exposed to the world.

A video was recorded and published without censoring, turning her humiliation into public consumption.

She was beaten, dragged, branded a "prostitute", treated like a terrorist, and thrown into Kirikiri Maximum Prison.

She now lives with the trauma of that inhuman and degrading treatment.

Yet, despite these grave allegations, not a single individual or authority has been brought to question. Not the airline. Not the operators. Not the security forces who enabled or participated in this barbaric act.

This is not about preempting investigation—if indeed there is any. It is about calling for an open investigation, because transparency will not only douse public tension but also prove whether Ms. Emmason's account as a "commoner," as she put it, stands against the truth of those who violated her dignity.

Where is Fairness in the Nigerian Constitution?

Although I am not a lawyer, I understand that. 

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) speaks clearly about fairness and the rights of citizens.

Section 14(2)(b) provides that "the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government."

Section 17(2)(a) declares that "every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law."

Section 34(1) guarantees the dignity of every human person, stating that "no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment."

In light of these provisions, Nigerians have every right to ask:

What did Ms. Emmason do to deserve this inhuman treatment?

Why was her dignity stripped away in public when the Constitution protects her as a citizen?

Why are those who acted against her fundamental rights not facing consequences?

The Bigger Question

If such injustice can happen to a young, promising Nigerian woman in her prime, without consequence, what does it say about the value Nigeria places on its citizens? Are we truly equal before the law, or are some more protected than others?

Nigeria must not become a country that diminishes the pride and self-worth of its own people. Every citizen matters. Every oath of office taken must mean something. Every violation of the Constitution must be addressed—openly, fairly, and urgently.

To Ibom Air, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, FAAN, the Nigeria Police, Immigration, Air Force, and ultimately the Government of Nigeria:

The people deserve answers.

The Constitution demands accountability.

The world is watching.

Has the Nigerian Constitution been suspended—or will justice prevail?

— By Itoro Uwah