A fiery petition has accused senior operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Enugu of “wickedness, abuse of power and man’s inhumanity to man,” after a community leader was allegedly detained unlawfully for more than a week.
The open letter, signed by Chief OAU Onyema of OAU Onyema & Co. Legal Practitioners, was addressed to EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede on Thursday.
It centres on the detention of Chief Dr Evaristus Okwor, traditional Prime Minister of Amaeke Ngwo Community in Udi Local Government Area, who the lawyers insist is being persecuted.
The petition names Ms Adaora Oragudosi and her “surrogate” Miss Lilian O. of the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command as the officials allegedly behind the ordeal.
“Mr Chairman Sir, we most humbly implore you to investigate the ILLEGAL DETENTION of our client since Tuesday 2nd day of September, 2025 till date (11/9/2025) and counting, FOR NO JUST CAUSE,” Onyema wrote.
He claimed his client, a consultant and former ward chairman, had already answered repeated EFCC queries over a disputed land sale worth N12 million, but was still being hounded.
“This illicit voyage of debt/fund recovery, which we know that you are likely to frown at, as it is the least expected from a highly respected institution of yours; brought about the demand of minute book from our client, which he had long handed over after his tenure,” the petition continued.
The lawyers alleged that the EFCC operatives “started abusing, insulting, frequently inviting-to-inconvenience, and threatening to detain our client till kingdom come,” and that they forced his surety to withdraw his bond so they could keep him locked up.
“To make do their threat. They invited the duo of our client and his surety, and right before our client, as if they were GODS, started forcing our client’s Surety to sign their paper and withdraw his suretyship, so that they will permanently arrest and detain our client,” Onyema said.
The petition claimed a Federal High Court had already ordered EFCC to maintain the status quo while investigations continued, warning them not to arrest or detain Okwor. But the lawyers allege the operatives ignored the order.
“Immediately they were served the Fundamental Right enforcement documents; as if no one has right to complain against them; the duo of Ms Adaora Oragudosi and her surrogate Miss Lilian O sent their armed men to go to the office of our client’s surety… and dumped him in their detention cell for days, for no just cause,” the lawyers insisted. “There, he remained for many days UNTIL THEY COERCED HIM to sign their paper withdrawing his suretyship.”
The petition went further, claiming that Okwor was humiliated in detention. “Our client states that he was woken up by 4.00am, taken into a dark room where she directed her people to hang a board on his neck, and took him pictures like a criminal, with which she said that she will use to blackmail our client on the internet perpetually,” Onyema wrote.
The lawyers accused the EFCC officers of demanding a post-dated cheque of N12 million from Okwor’s family before bail would be considered. “Honestly, we do not believe that these conducts are part of your instruction to subordinate staff like these people complained of,” the petition noted.
They asked the EFCC chairman to intervene personally. “We therefore implore you to use your good office to unconditionally release our client, while your investigation continues so as to stop the infringement of his fundamental rights,” the lawyers pleaded.
And in a scathing rebuke, they added: “Sir, we get worried whether it is now the function of our EFCC to recover fund or debt, from civil land transaction of this nature. Our client had requested that he be taken to court, if he is found culpable, but these individuals playing GOD, who are paid salaries with tax payers’ money, preferred to detain him… out of wickedness and abuse of their powers.”
The petition was also copied to President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser.
