The police headquarters in Abuja has been criticised over its arrest of a prominent community leader in Anambra State, Chigozie Nweke, with many alleging that the move was politically motivated.
A team of two police officers led by ACP Gabriel arrived at Ezi Umunya village in Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, on Monday, and declared that Nweke was under arrest.
Nweke had been drawn in a leadership tussle with Shedrach Obinna over the chairmanship of Umunya Welfare Association, the town’s grassroot governance structure.
Eyewitnesses told HumAngle that the officers from the force headquarters took Nweke to the Divisional Police Station in Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area, to sign off procedurally before whisking him off to Abuja.
When HumAngle contacted S.P. Ogbonna, the Divisional Police Officer at Nteje, affirmed that officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters arrested Nweke on allegations of defaming the character of another factional leader of Umunya’s Welfare Association.
Observers considered the move by the police hierarchy in Abuja strange and wondered why an allegation of defamation of character would compel the force headquarters to dispatch a team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police to Anambra state to effect an arrest.
Police spokesperson Frank Mba did not answer calls placed to his line on Tuesday and has yet to reply to a text enquiring about the incident.
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