Ebonyi: How Ojemba Used Police, Thugs to Assault me – Prince Onwe Alleges
*Petitions IGP, Gov Nwifuru, others
The Executive Director of Inspiring Generation and Humanity Support Foundation, IGHUSUF Africa, Prince Darlington Peter Onwe, has made a passionate plea for justice after suffering a brutal assault on Thursday, March 21, 2025.
Onwe alleged that he was attacked by thugs, and security armed personnel allegedly hired by Mr. Chikaodiri Ojemba, Chairman of the Consolidated Ebonyi Quarry Owners Association.
The IGHUSUF Africa Director who also petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Ebonyi State Governor, and other relevant agencies called on the authorities to take his plea for justice seriously and ensure that those responsible for the alleged assault are held accountable as stated in Section 34(1) of the Constitution that “every citizen has the right to dignity of the human person, which includes the right to be free from torture or inhuman treatment.”
Onwe in the statement made available to THE VOICE butressed that the assault occurred while accompanying police officers to effect an arrest but despite the police presence, he was brutally beaten, slapped, and kicked by the thugs and police security personnel which led to severe internal injuries that led to his being rushed to the Emergency Unit of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital for treatment.
The statement reads in parts: “On Thursday the 21st, Day of March 2025, I was physically assaulted and dehumanized by a group of over fifteen individuals, including thugs allegedly hired by Mr. Chikaodiri Ojemba, the Chairman of the Consolidated Ebonyi Quarry Owners Association.
“These assailants were not alone; they were accompanied by heavily armed security personnel from the police force, who were tasked with maintaining the peace but instead became active participants in this unlawful act of violence. This brutal assault took place without any provocation, and I was subjected to physical harm and humiliation, all of which were carefully planned and executed by these individuals and also filmed.
“Consequently, the men and officers of the Nigerian Police from Zonal Office Umuahia had arrived Ebonyi on Tuesday for a lawful arrest on a matter involving murder, cultism, et al, for which I’m both a complainant and pointer. They properly arrived themselves at the Police Headquarters and the relevant Area Command as well as the Division. Their Activity Document were duly acknowledged and treated.
” However, the suspects could not be found within the days when they stayed for the investigation activities. However, while leaving, the Area Command Abakaliki was committed to effect arrest and communicate them for a pickup. Against this backdrop, in the morning of Thursday, 21st March 2025, I accompanied the Station Officer at the Abakaliki Area command and two other police officers to effect the arrest. Upon getting to the suspects house, the S.O went into the suspect’s compound and enquired his whereabout, but his wife denied his availability in the house.
“Thereafter we feigned our departure and the suspect fell for it, quickly arranged to use the only exit point to runway. Upon approaching us, the officer flagged him and on noticing that he’s an officer, he sped off and we followed until he made entrace to Mr. Chikaodiri Ojemba’s house off Transahara African Road off Onuebonyi Junction, where some thugs and armed police men forced us to stop, threatened to shoot us, slapped and disarmed the police officer, also forced the other two officers to sit on the ground.
“It was not long when Mr. Ojemba arrived with six other heavily armed police security personnel. Then he asked the S.O to explain what happened, while explaining the other officers and thugs could not allow him to narrate the situation. While this was happening, Mr. Ojemba turnjng to me began lambasting the S. O for coming to arrest with someone who looks like a kidnapper. I immediately responded, saying, with due respect I am not a kidnapper”, immediately, his police security personnel attached to him and thugs numbering over fifteen descended on me, beating, slapping, boxing, and kicking me. They slided me down, and were kicking me indiscriminately in my chest, stomach, and ribs.
“While they forcefully compelled me to keep lying down, including two of the three policemen who came for the arrest from Abakaliki Area Command, Mr. Ojemba placed a call to the Commissioner of Police raising false alarm that some kidnappers came to kidnapper him. And after a shortwhile, two police vans filled with heavily armed to toothe policemen drafted from the Crack Squad of the Nigerian Police Ebonyi State Command arrived and bundled me and the officers from the area Command into the vans. Thereafter, at the headquarters, the facts of the matter were established, and it was discovered that police activity of the area command is genuine. Then, the Crack unit helped me to rush to the Police clinic for medical care. However, due to the severe nature of the internal injury sustained as a result of the gruesome assault, I was quickly referred to the Emergency Unit of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital where I’m recieving my treatment.” Onwe stated.
Efforts to reach Chikaodiri Ojemba proved abortive as he declined several calls made to him by our reporter and didn’t reply text messages and WhatsApp chats sent as at the time of filing this report.