The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), demanding an urgent intervention into what it describes as a disturbing pattern of police misconduct, obstruction of justice, and the weaponisation of criminal processes in Enugu State.
In two separate petitions dated June 3, 2026, the civil society organisation accused police authorities of deliberately frustrating high-profile criminal trials and acting as the “enforcers” for private corporate interests in ongoing land disputes.
According to RULAAC Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Nigeria Police Force is actively undermining its own prosecutions by failing to produce defendants in court, risking a total collapse of justice.
The group highlighted two specific criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court in Enugu, starting with Case No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, involving IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others. The second matter is Case No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, involving IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
The charges stem from high-level investigations by the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja and the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Enugu. However, despite the gravity of the charges, police have repeatedly failed to bring the defendants to court for arraignment.
During a recent sitting on May 20, 2026, the Federal High Court expressed deep frustration over the prosecution’s repeated failures to produce the accused. The cases have been adjourned to June 18, 2026, with RULAAC warning that further delays could force the court to strike out the cases for want of diligent prosecution.
“Such delays deny victims access to justice, frustrate the judicial process, and create a strong perception of high-level interference with the course of justice,” Nwanguma stated.
In its second petition, RULAAC called for an immediate independent probe into CSP Justice Attah, the Officer-in-Charge of the Directorate of Legal Services for the Enugu State Police Command.
The group alleges that CSP Attah has compromised police neutrality by involving his office in a fierce, long-standing land dispute between the Okpogho Community (Ezeagu LGA) and Ostara Farms Limited. Despite multiple civil suits pending in court to determine land ownership, RULAAC claims the police have aggressively criminalised local community members who oppose the land takeover.
RULAAC raised alarms over a striking pattern involving the selective arrest and intimidation of rural communities, pointing to a single corporate promoter: Mr Kingsley Tobechukwu Eze.
The advocacy group noted that the Okpogho dispute mirrors an earlier, highly controversial land clash involving the Amechi and Obeagu Awkunanaw communities (Enugu South LGA) and Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA)—both companies reportedly linked to Mr Eze.
“Reports suggesting the selective criminalisation of community members opposed to these land transactions, if established, constitute a grave abuse of police powers,” the petition reads. “The criminal justice system is being improperly used to intimidate citizens and influence outcomes in ongoing civil disputes.”
Emphasising that public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force is at an all-time low due to perceived partiality, RULAAC has requested the IGP to take immediate steps.
First, the group wants the IGP to order the immediate production of defendants in the pending Federal High Court cases to prevent a total miscarriage of justice. Second, they are asking him to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over and review all investigations and prosecutions tied to the Okpogho Community dispute.
Furthermore, RULAAC is demanding an independent investigation into the conduct of CSP Justice Attah and other complicit officers, a comprehensive review of the broader pattern of police involvement in land disputes tied to companies associated with Mr Kingsley Tobechukwu Eze, and strict disciplinary measures against any police officer found to have used their badge for private harassment.
“The police have a constitutional duty to protect all citizens without fear or favour,” Nwanguma concluded. “Criminal justice processes must never be manipulated to serve private interests, frustrate legitimate civil claims, or deny vulnerable communities access to justice.”
The Inspector-General of Police has yet to issue an official response to the petitions.
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