Armed policemen have reportedly arrested social media critic and activist, Onwuka Chimezie, in Abuja after he criticised the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, over alleged complicity in land grabbing and the forceful seizure of residents’ properties in the state.
Chimezie was reportedly arrested at about 3pm on Friday at the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate in Abuja by five armed men dressed in plain clothes who identified themselves as officers of the Rivers State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
According to sources, the officers arrived at the location in an unmarked Toyota Camry and allegedly forced Chimezie into the vehicle before driving away.
The policemen were also said to have used a house agent with whom the activist had been communicating to lure him to the area under the pretext of helping him inspect a house for rent.
A source who witnessed the incident said Chimezie’s whereabouts remained unknown as of the time of filing this report, while attempts to establish contact with him had reportedly been unsuccessful.
“He was arrested by about five policemen in mufti, carrying short guns. They said they were from the Rivers State Anti-Kidnapping Unit and showed me his photograph on their phone, saying he had offended many people in Port Harcourt.
“I wanted to bring out my phone to record the scene, but they stopped me and threatened me,” the source said.
The arrest reportedly followed recent comments made by Chimezie in a post and video published on his Facebook page, where he accused the Rivers State Commissioner of Police of allegedly conniving with one Colonel Eke Ogwumerum to fraudulently seize residents’ properties at Rumuagholu Town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Chimezie alleged that Ogwumerum, accompanied by hoodlums and allegedly backed by police personnel, invaded the community and bulldozed properties while claiming to be executing a judgment of the Choba Customary Court.
The activist, however, alleged that the judgment being relied upon had no connection with the properties that were demolished.
He further alleged that residents were attacked, harassed and brutally assaulted during the operation.
In his Facebook post, Chimezie accused the Rivers State Police Commissioner of allegedly allowing the police to be used in support of individuals involved in land disputes and alleged property seizures.
“Land grabbing seems to have become the new goldmine in Rivers State, as the Commissioner of Police in the state has made himself a deliberate instrument in the hands of criminals who go about grabbing people’s lands by force, with police backing.
“It is very disturbing that a Commissioner of Police who was posted to Rivers State to fight criminality is now the one enabling crimes and indulging in conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace by assigning police officers to land grabbers to continue grabbing people’s properties with brutal force.
“I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to call the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to order. If not, we will very much help the public image of the Nigeria Police Force on this internet space,” Chimezie wrote.
It remained unclear as of the time of filing the report whether Chimezie had been formally charged with any offence or where exactly he was being detained.
The circumstances surrounding the reported arrest, including the alleged deployment of armed plain-clothes officers, an unmarked vehicle and the alleged use of a house agent to lure the activist to the location, have also drawn attention.
The FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, was reportedly unavailable for comment when contacted, as her mobile phone was unreachable.
There was also no immediate response from the Rivers State Police Command regarding the allegations against Commissioner Adepoju or the reported arrest of Chimezie.
The allegations made by Chimezie have not been independently verified, and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police has not publicly responded to the accusations at the time of filing this report.