Police officers attached to the Otolo Nnewi division in Anambra State have been accused of extorting N150,000 from Mr Jude Egbas, deputy editor of TheCable, while unlawfully detaining his wife and underage children.
Egbas, his wife, Ogechukwu Chukwujekwu, and their two children, Munachukwu, 13, and Adela, three, were allegedly arrested and detained for about 10 hours before the family was released after the payment of N150,000 as bail.
Recounting the ordeal, Egbas said the incident occurred on Sunday, December 28, 2025, in the Ndiakwu community, Otolo Nnewi.
“They arrested me and detained my entire family, including my two children, one of whom is only three years old,” Egbas said. “We were held for about 10 hours, and they refused to release us until N150,000 was paid.”
According to him, despite identifying himself as a journalist and questioning the legality of detaining minors, the officers allegedly insisted on payment before granting bail.
“My wife and children were treated as suspects even though they committed no offence,” he said. “It was a traumatic experience, especially for the children.”
Egbas described the incident as an abuse of police authority and a violation of the rights of journalists and citizens, calling for accountability from the Anambra State Police Command.
