The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, calling for the immediate release of Mrs Ifeoma Jennifer Ekeonugha, who was allegedly arrested in place of her husband.
The Executive Director of RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, in the petition dated March 24, 2026, accuses officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Owerri, popularly known as “Tiger Base”, of unlawful arrest, torture, and acting as “enforcers” in a civil land dispute.
According to the rights group, armed operatives stormed Ekeonugha’s residence at approximately 2:00 a.m. on March 23.
The RULAAC alleges that because the officers could not find Mr Kelechi Ekeonugha, a staff member of the State Ministry of Lands, they took his wife instead.
“The arrest was carried out without a warrant and under circumstances suggesting that the victim was taken instead of her husband, which constitutes a clear violation of the law,” Nwanguma stated in the petition. “The victim was allegedly subjected to physical assault and is currently being held incommunicado.”
The conflict reportedly stems from a dispute over the Ugwumiri Okpo Land in Owerri Municipal.
Despite a pending civil suit (Suit No. HOW/951/2025) before the Imo State High Court, RULAAC alleges that private individuals and politically exposed persons are using police tactical units to bypass the judicial process.
The petition claims that “Tiger Base” officers have been used to harass community members and displace lawful occupants, with allegations of extortion reaching hundreds of millions of naira under the guise of security enforcement.
“The use of police units, particularly tactical formations such as the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, for the enforcement of private interests in a matter already before a court is a dangerous abuse of authority,” the petition read.
RULAAC urged the IGP to intervene personally to prevent further escalation of communal unrest.
RULAAC further demands unconditional release of Ekeonugha or her immediate court arraignment if there is any lawful basis for her detention.
The petition further calls for a transparent probe into the alleged torture and the “arrest in lieu” tactics used by the Tiger Base officers, as well as strict sanctions for any officers found to be colluding with private actors to settle civil land scores.
“This case presents a troubling example of the misuse of police powers… and the violation of fundamental rights,” Nwanguma concluded. “It is imperative that decisive action is taken to restore public confidence.” #Securitynewsalert.com
