Justice C.O. Ajah of Enugu High Court has restrained the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, the Commander of the Special Weapons and Tactical Squad (SWAT), CSP Anosike Nduwuisi, and other security operatives from further arrest and intimidation of youths from Mburubu community in Nkanu East Local Council.
The order followed an application by 10 youths of the community, namely, Eze Cletus Elija, Joseph AniEzeoha, Evaristus Okonkwo, Friday Ani, Ani Monday, Orji Emmanuel, Ozo Emmanuel Aniobi, Patrick Okonkwo, Aniobi Ambrose and Imeka Godswill Chukwuemeka, who appeared in court representing themselves and other Mburubu youths.
None of the respondents in the matter, including CSP Nduwuisi, IPO Emmanuel Uchenna Ogazi and community member, Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe, was present in court.
Counsel to the applicants, Ike Ozor, told the court yesterday that the youths were being persecuted for resisting “unlawful attempt by Onuokaibe” to impose himself as the Igwe of Mburubu in violation of existing court orders.
Ozor explained that an earlier court judgement in Suit No. HAMA/1/2024, delivered on January 12, 2025, disqualified Onuokaibe from contesting the Igweship stool based on the rotational provisions of the community’s constitution.
He added that a subsequent order in Suit No. HAMA/24/2025 also restrained him from holding a new yam festival scheduled for November 1, 2025.
“Despite these clear court orders, he went ahead to hold the festival and has continued to parade himself as Igwe-elect.
“My worry is that he connived with the police, particularly the SWAT, to arrest 10 youths of the community on November 3. They were tortured, brutalised and detained for weeks, simply because they opposed his unlawful claim to the stool,” Ozor told the court.
The lawyer further told the court that the police, acting on Onuokaibe’s influence, compiled a list of about 70 community leaders and ordered them to report to the SWAT office, raising fear of more arrests.
He added that after detaining the 10 youths for nearly three weeks, Onuokaibe allegedly took them from the SWAT office to his house and forced them to address him as Igwe before they were released without conditions.
“This shows the police knew they committed no offence,” he said, adding that the complainant himself stood as surety for their release.
Ozor said the situation had become life-threatening for the applicants and warranted urgent judicial intervention.
After listening to the submissions, Justice Ajah held that the applicants had provided “sufficient and compelling facts” showing that their lives and liberties were at risk.
He granted the motion, restraining the police and other respondents from further arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating the applicants or any other member of the Mburubu community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The judge announced that he would return the case to the Chief Judge to reassign the same to any judge of his choice.
Some victims, who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the court, alleged that they were being persecuted for refusing to join in the purported new yam celebrations on November 1.
Ezeh Elijah said he was arrested at Agbani Police station, where he went to bail a youth of the community detained by the police, adding that he was accused of owning a gun.
