Detained Enugu Villagers Demand Justice, Compensation For Alleged Unlawful Arrest And Extortion

The applicants, who are currently held at the Force CID Annex in Enugu, claim their detention stems from a communal dispute over road construction funds and their refusal to comply with illegal levies.

The suit, filed at the Enugu State High Court (suit No: EN/CS/FHR/320/2025), demands N100 million in exemplary damages per respondent, N10 million in general damages, and a public apology. The applicants allege that they were arrested on March 19, 2025, by armed police officers without justification and were denied access to legal counsel.

The applicants claim they were seized during a nighttime raid and transferred to the Force CID Annex in Enugu. Despite attempts by their lawyer, bail was refused pending “conclusion of investigation.”

The conflict began when the applicants opposed a road construction levy imposed by community leaders Gabriel Nwankwonta, Francis Nwobi, Rev. Ben Chukwu, Christian Nwankwo, and Theophi Okeji. The applicants allege that a philanthropist offered to fund the road project, sparking retaliatory actions from the leaders.

The applicants accuse the community leaders of sending thugs to extort money, leading to a previous police intervention that resulted in the arrest of five thugs. They claim the current detention is an act of revenge for that earlier incident.

Ebuka Okolie, one of the applicants, is reportedly hypertensive and suffering from “filthy detention conditions,” raising concerns for his health and safety.

The applicants’ counsel cited violations of:

The counsel referenced legal precedents, including Fawehinmi v. IGP (2002) and Aqua v. Achibong (2012), arguing that detention without charge is unconstitutional and breaches fundamental rights protections.

An affidavit of extreme urgency highlights Okolie’s deteriorating health and demands immediate court intervention. The applicants seek the following:

The court has been urged to assign an expedited hearing date.