The family of Mr Daniel Ikwo in Nnewi, Anambra State, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, about his detention by Udogachi vigilante operatives.
In a plea dated June 20, 2025, the family stated that Ikwo’s pregnant wife, Cynthia, and their two children were also held.
According to the family’s plea, written by their legal counsel, Chijioke Onwe, security personnel entered Ikwo’s home in the early hours of May 30, 2025, abducted the family of four, and have since imprisoned them.
The family stated that after several failed attempts, the operatives permitted them to visit Cynthia and her children, Chizaram (four years) and Chidiogo (two years), at the Udogachi command on June 18, 2025.
However, the family claimed they were not allowed to approach the captives, and Daniel was not brought out for them.
They stated that the officers asked them to return the next day, June 19, which they did with their lawyers, but they were still denied access to the imprisoned individuals.
“We are writing to urgently request your intervention regarding the detention of our clients (a pregnant woman, her husband and her children), as their continued confinement poses serious risks to their health, safety and basic human rights. We respectfully urge your office to investigate this matter immediately and ensure their safe release.”
“In view of the foregoing, we humbly request that you use your good office to promptly intervene and ensure a discreet investigation is launched to address the situation and ascertain why our clients, including a heavily pregnant woman and two toddlers, could be arrested and detained for over 20 days and still counting,” the petition stated.
A member of the family, Nwali Chinedu, said they were yet to know the exact offence committed by either Daniel or his pregnant wife.
“The woman is my sister, and they were abducted from their home on May 30. Up till now, we do not know what offence our sister or her husband committed that would justify the abduction of the entire family, including a four-year-old daughter and her younger sibling,” Chinedu lamented.
A copy of the petition included an official police receipt stamp, indicating that it was received by the commissioner’s office on Friday, June 20, 2025.
When contacted, Tochukwu Ikenga, the state Police Public Relations Officer, stated that he will accelerate action on the issue.
“Thanks for the information. If such a case exists in Udogachi’s records, I will notify the company’s leadership and take appropriate measures,” he said.
To obtain official reasons for the detention, our correspondent phoned Ken Emeakayi, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Special Adviser on Community Security.
