Journalist, Six Elders Of Umuocha Avu File 20 Billion Naira Suit Against IGP, Mike Onyekachi, Others

An Owerri based Journalist and six elders of Umuocha Avu autonomous community in Owerri West LGA of Imo state are asking a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja, to stop the inspector-General of Police IGP from invading and interfering in their ancestral land which they alleged that one Engineer Christian Mike Onyekachi and the Imo state Housing Corporation are forcefully trying to take from them.

In a Fundamental Human Rights enforcement suit filed by their Counsel and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Imo state, Chukwuma Machukwu Ume SAN, the applicants alleged that they were subjected to acts of brutality, unlawful arrest and detention by Police Officers from Force Intelligence Department Abuja in conjunction with some police men from Imo state police Headquarters Owerri, who they claimed were mobilized by the said Engineer Christian Mike Onyekachi.

The applicants including: Elder Godwin Oparamba, Elder Chijioke Maduike,Sir Reginald Mbajunwa, Engineer Franklin Mbajunwa,Mr Ikechukwu Ubah,Mr Davison Ubah and Mr Ifeanyi Ubah, alleged that on January 13, 2026 officers and men of The Nigeria police without name and number tags, armed with AK 47 riffles brought by Engineer Christian Mike Onyekachi unlawfully invaded their ancestral land at Mgbabo Uzi, in Umuocha village Avu in Owerri -West LGA.

They further pointed out that the Imo Broadcasting Corporation IBC Owerri on getting the information, officially asked her staff and an indigene of the Area to go with a cameraman and cover the event.

On getting to the place, while searching for Mike Onyekachi to interview him, the police men working with Onyekachi allegedly manhandled the Journalist and the Cameraman before whisking them away.

According to them, after destroying the handset of the Journalist, brought them back to the land and forcefully deleted all the materials recorded in the camera and in the process damaged the IBC Video Camera.

The Applicants further revealed that on February 3, 2036, the Journalist was going to work around 7.30 am, Few meters from his house a group of Police men from Force Intelligence Department Abuja allegedly led by DSP Charles Peace arrested him and the other applicants and took them to Imo state Police headquarters were they claimed they were detained in an inhuman condition, before whisking them away the next Morning around 5.30 am.

Listed as 1st to 5th respondents in the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/701/2026 are Inspector -General of Police IGP, DSP Charles Peace, Engineer Christian Mike Onyekachi, Vertex Estate Nigeria limited and Imo Housing Corporation.