Crime
Enugu man allegedly tortured to death by Police, family seeks justice
The family of Kingsley Agwuna has demanded a comprehensive investigation and prosecution of some policemen attached to the Unity police station, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu State over the death of their son.
They also urged the National Assembly, the National Human Rights Commission and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to investigate the case, claiming Kingsley died under mysterious circumstances.
The family accused the police of brutality, torture, wrongful arrest, and other human rights violations.
The deceased was said to have been arrested on 5th of September 2024 at a popular bar located at Nkwo Nike by the policemen led by one DSP Christian Uche Okeke.
According to the family, he was illegally arrested and was not given a chance to defend himself from the allegation.
While narrating how Kingsley was allegedly killed in a petition to the human rights commission, a brother of the deceased, Ernest C. Agwuna said, “I, Mr Ernest C. Agwuna, a citizen of Nigeria residing at 3 Monastery Road, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu East LGA, Enugu State, hereby write this petition with great pain and distress to bring to your esteemed office’s attention the extreme acts of police brutality, torture, inhuman, and degrading treatment that culminated in the gruesome murder of my beloved brother, Mr Kingsley Agwuna.
“The officers involved were D.S.P Christian Uche Okeke and Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi, who were attached to Unity Police Station, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu State.
“Details of the Incident: On the 5th of September 2024, Mr Kingsley Agwuna was arrested at a popular bar located at Nkwo Nike when police officers, led by D.S.P Christian Uche Okeke, arrived to arrest some produce revenue collectors who have their posts situated around Nkwo Nike. However, they decided to embark on a random arrest. In the process, Mr Kingsley Agwuna, a tricycle driver (Keke driver) and not a member of the produce revenue collectors, was wrongfully arrested and taken to the police station that same night.
“The following morning, on the 6th of September 2024, he was charged and arraigned in court, where he was granted bail. Unfortunately, none of his family members had been contacted before he was charged, so none were present to post bail. Consequently, the court ordered that he be remanded in prison pending his family’s arrangement for his bail.
“Upon arrival at the prison, the warders observed bruises all over his body, which left him unable to stand independently. Due to his condition, the prison warders refused to accept him from the police officers and alerted the Officer in Charge, Compt. Sunday Oyakhire. Under his instruction, the police officers, D.S.P Christian Uche Okeke and Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi, were asked to write and sign an indemnity on the back of the charge sheet, stating the condition in which they brought him, which they did as requested.
“To our greatest shock, a friend of Mr Kingsley Agwuna, Mr Nwackukwu, was contacted on Monday, the 9th of September 2024, through a phone call informing him that Mr Kingsley Agwuna had passed away. This was later confirmed by Mr Nwackukwu on the 10th of September 2024. After that, Mr Nwachukwu inquired about the police station and the Investigating Police Officer (I.P.O) in charge of the case.
“The Officer in Charge of the prison told Mr Nwachukwu that Unity Police Division at Ibagwa Nike handled the case and that the (I.P.O) in-charge was Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi. The phone number of Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi was then handed over to Mr Nwachukwu for more Inquiries Since he is the Investigating Police Officer (I.P.O) of the Case.
“When Mr Nwachukwu contacted Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi to verify the information, Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi vehemently denied any knowledge of the case, claiming he was only instructed to take Mr Kingsley Agwuna to prison after the arraignment in court. However, it was later discovered that Inspector Romanus Ugwuanyi not only works at Unity Police Division, but was also the Investigating Police Officer (I.P.O) in charge of the case.
“I Mr Ernest Agwuna was later contacted on phone on the 10th Sept.2024, So I have to Start Coming down to Enugu to find out what really happened to my Brother Mr Kingsley Agwuna, upon arrival I went Straight to Unity Police Station where I met with the D.C.O, in person of D.S.P Christian Uche Okeke whom I tried all my best to get some Vital Information about what transpired between him and my Brother, Mr Kingsley Agwuna but he also denied Vehemently that he knew nothing about the incident.
“So I went from there to the Prison Yard where I met with the Officer in-charge in person of Compt. Sunday Oyakhire who told me that he only can tell me what happened from the time when Mr Kingsley Agwuna was Brought to the Prison. And he narrated the same as what he told Mr Nwachukwu which I have written above but at this point in time, Compt. Sunday Oyakhire told me that When he stepped down from his office to the Prison Entrance Gate he met my Brother Mr Kingsley Agwuna where he way layed on the floor at the same Prison Entrance and he, Compt. Sunday Oyakhire personally asked Mr Kingsley Agwuna what happened to Him.
“Mr Kingsley Agwuna told him that the police used a 2-by-2 Wood log to beat him while hitting him on his lungs and that it was even hard before he was able to mutter those words because he was seriously wonded. He, Compt. Sunday Oyakhire also mentioned to me that My Brother Mr Kinsley Agwuna was with a plaster at the back of his head where he has a sharp deep cut.
“Human Rights Violations: The conduct of the officers involved constitutes clear violations of Section 34(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees every individual the right to respect for their dignity and freedom from torture, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
“The Anti-Torture Act of 2017, which prohibits all forms of torture and inhumane treatment.
“International conventions such as the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT), which Nigeria has ratified.
“Demands: In light of these egregious violations and the irreparable harm caused to my family, I respectfully demand the following actions from the National Human Rights Commission:
“An immediate and Thorough Investigation: I request an independent and transparent investigation into the conduct of the police officers involved in the arrest, torture, and murder of my brother, Mr Kingsley Agwuna.
“Prosecution of the Officers Involved: The officers responsible for these heinous acts must be brought to justice through appropriate legal action.”
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command denied the allegation of torturing Kingsley to death.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe insisted that the deceased did not die in police custody nor was he arrested by officers from the mentioned station.
“There’s no such report of wrongful arrest, torture and death of anyone at the mentioned station please,” he told SaharaReporters.
Crime
Anambra Police Debunk Involvement In Death Of Suspect
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Anambra Police Command has debunked the allegation that it’s officers and men had hand in the mysterious death of one Mr Paul Onwualu at Npkor in Idemili North local government area.
The Police which confirmed the arrest of the suspect however explained that preliminary investigations has so far shown that there complications in the health status of the deceased leading to his demise .
SP Tochukwu Ikenga ,who is the Public Relations Officer of the Command stated in a release that ;
“The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that it has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of the late Mr Paul Onwualu in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State”
“Preliminary information available to the Command reveals that the officers allegedly involved in the arrest before the sudden complication of the deceased’s health, which later led to his death, have been identified, but are not operatives attached to the Anambra State Police Command”
“The Command assures Ndi Anambra and members of the public that the matter is being handled with the seriousness it deserves to ascertain the facts surrounding the unfortunate incident”
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu fwc mnips PhD, urges residents to remain calm and allow the ongoing investigation to run its course, while reaffirming the Command’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, and the protection of lives and property.” he said.
Crime
Woman Beats Stepdaughter to Death in Enugu
Neighbours reported that the event allegedly occurred around 3pm on Sunday, noting that the late Miss Amanda had been a victim of constant and ruthless maltreatment at the hands of her stepmother.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu State, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, has expressed the state government’s anger over the incident, saying it would not relent until justice is done.
“It is on record that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, let alone child homicide. So, we swung into action on learning about this tragedy to ensure that the suspect was arrested.
“But it doesn’t end there. We will be pressing for thorough and expedited investigation to ensure that justice is not just done, but done really fast.
“Nobody should take another’s life and certainly not the life of any child in Enugu State. We condemn it in totality,” she stated.
Crime
Fake Pastors Arrested in Anambra as Soludo Begins Crackdown
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
As suspected fake native doctors continue to face the long arm of the law in Anambra State, the government has now commenced a crackdown on alleged fake pastors who preach salvation without the gospel.
Already, scores of suspected fake pastors are reportedly in custody, with some said to have confessed to deceiving unsuspecting members of the public.
Governor Charles Soludo disclosed this during this year’s All Knights Day celebration held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral.
In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, the governor said:
“The Governor also revealed an ongoing crackdown on fake pastors who exploit the vulnerable by preaching a gospel of ‘salvation without the cross,’ confirming that several are already in custody and confessing.”
He emphasized that a “New Anambra” is emerging and must be rid of deception and criminality, while reinforcing the church’s teaching that hard work remains the pathway to success.
The statement further read:
“In a firm demonstration of fiscal discipline, Governor Soludo granted a request from the Knights to support their charity visits to orphanages but declined a request for public funds to sew uniforms, stating he would not deploy state resources for private institutional regalia.”
The governor also urged the Knights to remain “the light of the world and the salt of the earth” by living according to principles rather than titles.
The event featured a Pontifical Mass celebrated by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Paulinus Ezeokafor, while the homily was delivered by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Iheanacho.
In his sermon, Iheanacho reflected on the work of the Holy Spirit, describing knighthood as a process of “sober reflection, stock-taking, and reckoning” guided by strict tenets and discipline.
He reminded the Knights that true love for Christ is demonstrated through obedience to His commandments, discipline, humility, and courage.
The cleric also cautioned against elitist isolation, urging the Knights to remain connected with the people and preserve their human face and prophetic voice within the community.
Crime
Anambra Police Burst Gunmen Armoury in Orumba
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Violent Crime Response Unit of the Anambra State Police Command has uncovered and destroyed an armoury belonging to suspected separatist gunmen at Owerre-Ezukala in Orumba South Local Government Area.
The operation, led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Orebe Chidubem Matthew, followed intelligence obtained from a member of the gang currently in police custody.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police disclosed that the camp had previously been dislodged by a Joint Task Force on security operations. However, some members of the gang who escaped during the earlier raid reportedly regrouped and attempted to resume operations.
According to the statement, items recovered from the armoury include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally-made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally-made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder, and one black Ecolac box.
“Recall that the camp was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team. Before the confession by the suspect in custody, intelligence had been received over time on how some escaped gang members were attempting to regroup. However, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit resisted and dismantled the camp following a gun duel with the unrepentant members,” the statement read.
The police further stated that some of the armed suspects fled the scene with varying degrees of bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
Further investigations revealed that the suspect in custody confessed to involvement in several violent attacks across Anambra State, including attacks on police facilities, the killing of security personnel comprising police, military, and civil defence officers, attacks on government facilities, and the murder of security operatives on stop-and-search duties on various roads in the state.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that with the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit, operatives of the command are now better positioned and more motivated to sustain offensive operations against criminal elements threatening the peace and security of the state.
Crime
Enugu Assembly Orders Salary Suspension Over Alleged Land Fraud
The Enugu State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate suspension of the salary of Dr. Kate Okolo, a staff member of the Enugu State College of Education, over her alleged involvement in a controversial land deal.
The directive was issued on Tuesday in Enugu by the Chairman of the House Special Committee on Land Conflicts, Mr. Okey Mbah, as part of an ongoing investigation into a decade-long land fraud.
Mbah emphasized that the suspension is not a witch-hunt but a clear signal that the era of impunity in land administration in the state is over.
The committee, currently probing petitions from staff of the institution and members of the public, accused key figures in the Women in College of Education Organisation (WICE) of engaging in land racketeering and fraudulent sales.
According to petitioners, the scheme—introduced between 2009 and 2011 under the leadership of the late Mrs. Ugoma Ndubisi and Dr. Okolo—encouraged individuals to market plots of land known as “WICE Land” to colleagues, friends, and family members.
One victim, who pleaded anonymity, told lawmakers they invested in the scheme because it was presented as a credible internal arrangement.
“We paid in full and have receipts, but for over 13 years, we have not been allocated any land,” the petitioner said.
Testimonies further revealed that the situation worsened following the death of Mrs. Ndubisi, with allegations that Dr. Okolo altered the original terms of the transactions.
“She changed the name from Ukano to Ukano Bold, increased the prices, reduced plot sizes, and claimed that many of us did not pay.
“We are now being asked to pay again for land we already purchased.
“All we want is either our land or our money back,” another petitioner stated.
In response, Mbah assured the petitioners that the Assembly remains committed to ensuring justice.
“We have listened to your grievances, and this committee will see this matter through to a logical conclusion.
“No one found culpable will be shielded,” he said.
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