Our Reporter, Umuahia
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to intervene in the continued detention and prosecution of 63-year-old Sunday Chikadibia and his three daughters, describing the case as a travesty of justice.
RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, in a piece on Tuesday, alleged that operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Abia State Police Command stormed the Chikadibia family residence in Alaukwu, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, on April 12, 2025.
According to him, the officers broke into the house, looted property, and arrested Mr. Chikadibia alongside his daughters — Glory, Ngozi, and Ogechi — after failing to find a relative they claimed to be searching for.
Nwanguma said the arrests violated the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which prohibits “arrest by proxy.” He further alleged that the victims were secretly charged with terrorism, remanded in prison without fair hearing, and initially denied access to legal representation or acknowledgement of their custody.
He also accused the police of later demolishing the family home, an ordeal which he said led to the death of Mrs. Chioma Chikadibia, the wife and mother, on August 8, 2025, after she reportedly succumbed to depression.
According to RULAAC, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General of Abia State had reviewed the case and found no evidence against the detainees but still proceeded to file charges in court.
“This is not law; it is face-saving and complicity in injustice,” Nwanguma stated, warning that Mr. Chikadibia’s health is deteriorating in detention while his daughter Ogechi, a final-year student at IMT Enugu, risks missing her examinations.
The group urged Governor Otti to: Order the immediate release of the detainees; investigate the alleged unlawful raid and demolition; hold the officers involved accountable; provide compensation to the family; ensure Ogechi is enabled to complete her studies.
“The Chikadibia case is a litmus test. Will Abia under Otti stand for justice, or will it descend into tyranny disguised as law enforcement? The world is watching,” Nwanguma stated.
