Fresh controversy is trailing the detention of 62 Nigerians in Uganda, as a lawyer engaged on their behalf alleges that authorities are blocking all attempts to grant them legal representation.

The detainees, identified as members of a Christian missionary organisation known as Life Mission or Exalting Jesus Life Missions, were arrested by Uganda’s Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control during coordinated operations in Adjumani and the Bukoto–Ntinda axis of Kampala. Officials accuse them of running churches and engaging in missionary work without proper immigration status.

Mission leaders insist the group is a legitimate humanitarian outfit that has operated in Uganda for years, focusing on outreach among refugees and vulnerable communities. They say the missionaries entered the country on the strength of formal invitations and clearances from Ugandan authorities, including the Office of the Prime Minister, the Commissioner for Refugees and the Born Again Fellowship of Uganda.

Despite those claims, efforts to reach the detained Nigerians have stalled. Ugandan lawyer Israel Mivule, retained by the mission, said he was turned back when he visited the detention facility in Namawme. According to him, officers at the gate refused to let him see any of the detainees and directed him instead to seek higher-level approval in Kampala.

Mivule said he pleaded for at least a brief, private conversation with one detainee to assess their condition, but the request was rejected. From his vantage point outside the gate, he said he could see the Nigerians moving around inside the compound, apparently cut off from phones or any other means of communication.

The lawyer described the situation as a clear violation of Uganda’s constitution, arguing that detainees are entitled to legal counsel and a fair hearing at all times. He cited constitutional provisions guaranteeing access to lawyers and freedom of communication, warning that the current restrictions amount to an infringement of fundamental rights.

Mivule disclosed that he is pursuing both diplomatic and legal channels, including renewed engagement with Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Nigerian High Commission in Kampala. If those efforts fail, he plans to ask the courts to order the immediate release of the missionaries or compel authorities to justify their continued detention.

Documents from the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches in Uganda appear to support the mission’s claim of legitimacy, confirming that the Nigerian group has been known to the fellowship and authorised to bring volunteers for work among refugees since 2023.