The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has appealed to the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, seeking compensation and restorative justice for the Chikadibia family following a controversial police operation that left them homeless and grieving.
In a letter dated March 6, 2026, RULAAC Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma praised the Governor’s previous intervention through the Attorney-General’s office, which secured the release of Mr Sunday Chikadibia and his three daughters, Glory, Ngozi, and Ogechi.
However, the advocacy group maintains that the family’s nightmare is far from over, citing the demolition of their ancestral home and the tragic death of the family matriarch, Mrs Chioma Chikadibia.
The ordeal reportedly began on April 12, 2025, during an operation in Alaukwu, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area. According to RULAAC, the sisters were lured under the guise of a business transaction before being seized by armed officers.
The subsequent raid on their residence resulted in the arrest of their father and the alleged removal of millions of naira worth of personal property, including electronics, motorcycles, and land documents, without any official inventory.
“The family maintains that allegations of kidnapping, armed robbery, and terrorism were never substantiated with evidence,” Nwanguma stated in the appeal. “The consequences of the operation were devastating. The family home was later demolished, leaving the victims without shelter and destroying the foundation of their livelihood.”
The emotional toll of the state’s actions reached a breaking point on August 8, 2025, when Mrs Chioma Chikadibia passed away. The rights group attributes her death to the severe psychological distress and trauma suffered after her husband and daughters were branded as criminals and their home levelled.
RULAAC is now urging the Abia State Government to go beyond mere legal release and provide a holistic “restorative” package.
This includes financial compensation for the demolished structure, restitution for seized household goods, and resettlement support to help the displaced family rebuild.
“Providing compensation and restorative support in this case would be a powerful affirmation of your administration’s commitment to justice, fairness, and humane governance,” Nwanguma wrote to the Governor.
He further emphasised the need for educational support for Miss Ogechi Chikadibia, whose studies were derailed by her detention, and psychosocial care for the entire family.
The Executive Director concluded the petition by noting that while the Governor has already shown leadership by preventing a “grave miscarriage of justice” through the detainees’ release, the state must now ensure the family is not left to bear the physical and economic scars of the incident alone.
“Completing this process through restitution would ensure that the Chikadibia family is not left to bear alone the consequences of events for which they were ultimately found not culpable,” the letter read. #Securitynewsalert.com
