The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has raised alarm over what it described as desperate attempts by police officers and their collaborators to frustrate the ongoing Coroner’s Inquest into the alleged extra-judicial killing of Mr. Japhet Njoku in police custody at Tiger Base, Owerri.
Njoku, who was arrested in March 2025 following a petition by a trader, Mrs. Oluchi Obiagwu, reportedly died under torture at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Tiger Base, on May 5, 2025. His detention, according to RULAAC, was orchestrated in collaboration with Obiagwu’s policewoman sister and Insp. Barnabas of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
Following petitions by the deceased’s family, the High Court ordered a Coroner’s Inquest on June 5, 2025, directing Insp. Barnabas, CSP Oladimeji (Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit), and others are to appear before the Coroner to testify. The court further ordered that no other investigation or autopsy should be carried out until the inquest is concluded.
However, instead of complying, RULAAC alleges that the officers involved have resorted to fabricating charges of “receiving stolen goods” against Njoku’s case-mates, Monday Ekwueme, Basil Ekenyere, Miss Nkechi, and Mrs. Caro Okek, who were also listed as material witnesses before the Coroner.
According to the organisation, this move is aimed at intimidating and silencing witnesses, diverting attention from the custodial death, and undermining due process.
RULAAC stated that on August 22, at a meeting convened by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID Owerri, the deceased’s family formally complained about the harassment of witnesses. The DCP reportedly cautioned Obiagwu’s policewoman sister against further interference and stressed that the murder case should take precedence over the “frivolous” receiving allegations.
Yet, later that day, officers of D3 (SCID) allegedly detained the witnesses for over five hours, threatened them with arraignment, and instructed them to return with their sureties on August 27, despite the subsisting court order halting further investigation.
RULAAC described the actions of the suspects and their collaborators as contempt of court and a brazen attempt to cover up Njoku’s death in custody.
The group urged the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, to call the officers to order, enforce compliance with the Coroner’s directives, and protect the witnesses from harassment.
“We respectfully urge you to uphold the sanctity of human life and ensure that those responsible for the extra-judicial killing of Japhet Njoku are brought to justice,” RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, stated in the petition.
