The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 9 Umuahia, Abia State, Mr. Adeleke Adeyinka Bode, has been petitioned over the alleged murder of one Nwaiwu Chigozie and the continued illegal detention of one Chukwu Uchenna by the anti-kidnapping Unit of Imo State Police Command.

The Police had earlier announced the arrest one of Chukwu Uchenna, whom they claimed to be one of the kingpins of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Imo, and the killing of Nwaiwu Chigozie, who was accused of joining other members to frustrate the arrest of the alleged IPOB kingpin.

But that is not true, according to the families of Chukwu Uchenna and Nwaiwu Chigozie. They in a letter dated October 11, 2021 and signed by their attorney, Sir Ebuka Igwe, are asking the AIG to investigate the murder of Nwaiwu Chigozie and the continued illegal detention of Chukwu Uchenna.

According to the letter, “The detectives met Mr. Chidera’s wife and dropped their contact details with her telling her to inform the husband to reach out to them with the contact details, the contact details are: 08064828409 belonging to one of the Policemen by name Prince Chikadibia.

“That on their way out, they saw Mr. Christian Uchenna Chukwu who shares shop with their target and arrested him immediately.

“That the late Mr. Nwaiwu Chigozie who saw what happened approached the Policemen to inquire on why his brother was arrested.

“That one of the Policemen got angry with his approach and pulled the trigger on him, killing him immediately.

“That the Policemen on realizing that they have killed an innocent Mr. Nwaiwu Chigozie, sped off from the scene of the crime leaving him to die.

“That the villagers gathered around the corpse and were crying at the scene where the dead was lying in the pool of his blood.

“That the Policemen returned after some minutes shooting sporadically into the air and scared the villagers away.

“That the Policemen took the corpse of the dead away with Mr. Christian Uchenna Chukwu to an unknown location. Efforts to trace them proved abortive.

“That on the 8th October, 2021, the Imo State Police Command addressed a press conference, stating that IPOB/ESN members were killed and arrested by tactical teams, to the surprise of my client, their son killed by the Police was paraded as an IPOB/ESN member who died in a shootout.

“That my clients have made attempts to reach out to their son in detention but all to no avail. Instead, the Police is demanding for money from my client, that several calls to the contact details dropped by the Policemen initially were answered by a policeman who directed my clients to go to the Anti-kidnapping Unit of Imo Police Command.

“That the Imo State Police Command is still in denial of this gruesome murder of Mr. Nwaiwu Chigozie and illegal detention of Christian Uchenna Chukwu by the Anti-kidnapping Unit.”

While asking the AIG to order a discreet investigation, the letter appealed that the case be transferred from the Imo Police Command to the AIG’s office.

It also asked the Police chief to consider some salient issues in the course of his investigation: i. The Policemen were only three in number

ii. The Policemen drove a red Toyota Venza

iii. The Policemen had already dropped their contact details (08064828409: Prince Chikadibia) with the wife of their target Mr. Chidera.

Iv. The Policemen shot the late Mr. Chigozie Nwaiwu from the rear of his head.

V. The Policemen sped off immediately.

Vi. The Policemen returned later shooting sporadically and removed the corpse.

Vii. The villagers had already gathered and were mourning the dead before their arrival.

Viii. This incident happened along a very busy road close to the Ehime Mbano Local Government Secretariat, Imo State.

Ix. There is no record of Police shootout with any armed group around that area.

X. There is a video evidence of all that transpired showing when the victim was lying in the pool of his blood with villagers mourning around his corpse.

“We believe that the police cannot claim to storm IPOB/ESN hideout with only three policemen in a red coloured Toyota Venza.

“We also believe that the Police cannot claim to storm the IPOB/ESN hideout, when they have already given their contact to the target’s wife.

“The arrested person, Uchenna Christian Chukwu was done in lieu of their target because they share same shop.

“We also believe that Police can only drop contact details on a civil matter or offences not in an IPOB/ESN matter as claimed.

“...Our greatest fear is that the Uchenna Christian Chukwu in detention may die under mysterious circumstance in a bid to cover up the gruesome murder of Mr. Chigozie Nwaiwu by the Anti-kidnapping Unit,” the letter added.

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