Mrs. Jennifer Johnson, a pregnant woman from the Obolo community in Mbano, Imo State, has raised an alarm over the alleged killing of her 5-year-old son by a local vigilante group led by the community’s Youth President, Amaze Chibuke, popularly known as Jaguar. She has also accused Jaguar of orchestrating the illegal arrest of her husband, Bright Johnson, a 33-year-old native doctor, and the shooting of her brother-in-law, Okechukwu Johnson.
In a petition addressed to the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Mrs. Johnson called for justice. She claimed that Jaguar, who is reportedly embroiled in a land dispute with her husband, stormed their home with armed men and ordered the attack on her family.
Speaking to journalists, Mrs. Johnson narrated her ordeal. “My husband was shot in the leg and taken to an unknown location four days ago. His younger brother was shot in the back, and my 5-year-old son was shot dead,” she said through tears.
She revealed that after pressure from family members, Jaguar admitted her husband was in DSS custody at their office in Irete, along Onitsha Road in Owerri, Imo State. “We’ve made several attempts to see my husband, but the DSS officials have denied us access. I don’t even know if he’s alive. He doesn’t know his son has been killed,” she lamented.
Recounting how the trouble began, Mrs. Johnson said she and her son were accosted on November 9, 2024, near Amanaku Market in Obolo by three masked men who forced them into a car. “They also had a tied-up man in the vehicle. They beat him for pleading on our behalf. When eyewitnesses started chasing the vehicle, the men stopped and forced us into the bush,” she explained.
Although they managed to escape, Mrs. Johnson identified the tied-up man to community members. However, the situation escalated when the man reportedly implicated her husband, allegedly under duress from Jaguar.
Mrs. Johnson disclosed that her husband reported the incident to the police, but subsequent events took a disturbing turn. Days later, youths from the community accused her husband of involvement in her attempted abduction and the kidnapping of a Reverend Father in Owerri. “The man, who was held in a private cell by Jaguar, was reportedly coerced into implicating my husband,” she added.
Attempts to involve a lawyer failed, as the lawyer was allegedly compromised after collecting over a million naira and demanding more. The family sought help from the police, but Jaguar was reportedly released on bail due to his connections.
On December 26, 2024, Jaguar and five armed men arrived at the Johnsons’ home, accusing Bright of involvement in the kidnappings. Mrs. Johnson said she pleaded with Jaguar to leave her husband alone, but things turned violent. “Jaguar ordered his men to shoot. They shot my husband in the leg, my brother-in-law in the back, and my son in the head. My son died instantly,” she said.
Her father-in-law confronted Jaguar, who dismissed their grievances and directed them to the DSS office to find Bright. “We’ve been to DSS, but we haven’t seen him. I fear for my husband’s life,” she cried.
Mrs. Johnson is calling on the DSS DG and the Police IG to investigate the incidents, ensure her husband’s safety, and bring Jaguar to justice. “I’ve lost my son; I can’t lose my husband too. My husband is innocent,” she pleaded.
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