Ezenagu has remained in custody since March 10, while operatives allegedly collected a total of ₦5.5 million from him.
A family has accused operatives of the Agunechemba security outfit in Anambra State of extortion, torture, and prolonged unlawful detention, alleging that a young man, Ezenagu John Paul Ikechukwu, has been held since March 10, 2026 without being charged to court, as his condition reportedly deteriorates to a near-critical state.
At the centre of the allegations is a distress message obtained by SaharaReporters, which now forms a key part of a formal petition submitted to the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Zone 13 by Favour Law Firm. The message, described by the family as a desperate appeal to save his life, provides a firsthand account of what they claim is happening in detention.
According to the message, Ezenagu has remained in custody since March 10, while operatives allegedly collected a total of ₦5.5 million from him.
The family further claimed that despite the payment, he has neither been formally charged nor arraigned in court, and has not been transferred to any police facility for investigation.
What has heightened the family’s fear is the deteriorating medical condition described in stark and distressing detail.
According to the family, “his condition is now very critical, as he is coughing out blood and blood is also coming out of his anus”.
“He is unable to stand or walk since his admission and his condition has continued to deteriorate,” the family lamented.
The family insists that each passing day without intervention increases the risk of losing him.
The distress call has been reinforced by a formal attestation letter from the Amiliba Development Union (A.D.U), Otolo Nnewi, dated March 25, 2026, and addressed to the Governor of Anambra State, Charles Chukwuma Soludo. The letter, signed by community leaders Walter Udegbunam (President General) and Onyeka Nwabua (Secretary), vouched for the victim’s character and appealed for leniency.
In the letter, the community described Ezenagu as a man known not for criminal activity, but for his service and positive contributions to his environment.
The letter stated: “We hereby write this letter to attest to the fact that Ikechukwu Ezenagu aka Muo Mili Afuluanya is not a criminal or a fraudster, he has a clean record to the best of our knowledge.”
It further noted that he has been a traditional practitioner and contributed to community development through road maintenance and social support efforts.
In a particularly emotional appeal, the community pleaded for compassion from authorities.
Despite this appeal and the family’s insistence on his innocence, the petition filed by Favour Law Firm presents a deeply troubling account of what allegedly happened on the night of March 10, 2026.
According to the petition, operatives of Agunechemba stormed Mr. Ezenagu’s residence in Nnewi without prior identification, explanation, or legal documentation.
The family says what they first heard that night was not an arrest, but violent banging on the gate that made them believe they were under attack by armed robbers or kidnappers.
Moments later, the situation allegedly escalated as the operatives forced entry into the compound. The petition claims they jumped over the fence and entered the premises without a warrant, turning what should have been a lawful operation into what the lawyers describe as a frightening and chaotic raid.
Inside the house, the petition alleges that valuables were taken, including laptops, mobile devices, power banks, laptop bags, and two savings boxes containing cash estimated at ₦3.5 million and ₦1.7 million. It further alleges that CCTV cameras were deliberately destroyed, which the lawyers say appeared aimed at erasing any record of the incident.
For the family, however, it is not just the loss of property that lingers, it is the manner of the arrest.
They allege that Mr. Ezenagu and his brother were beaten so severely that they were left unconscious.
The petition states they were “beaten to stupor, tied with ropes, and bundled into the boot of their Siena vehicle,” a moment the family describes as one of humiliation and fear.
From that point, the account becomes even more distressing.
The petition claims the victims were transported from Nnewi to Oba under violent restraint, treated in a manner the lawyers say stripped them of basic human dignity.
According to the petition, what followed was a demand for money. The operatives allegedly requested ₦30 million for their release, later reducing it to ₦5.5 million after sustained pressure and fear-induced negotiation.
The family says what happened next was not a transaction, but survival under duress. Payments were allegedly made in stages: ₦2.1 million transferred to a MoniePoint account linked to individuals allegedly known to the operatives, ₦3 million delivered in cash through an intermediary identified as “Agu-Igwe Orizu,” and additional payments routed through POS operators.
Even after these payments, Mr. Ezenagu was not released.
Instead, the petition alleges that he remained in custody, confused and deteriorating, with no formal charge or explanation. The family says each day without court appearance deepened their fear that something had gone terribly wrong.
At the heart of their anguish is his medical condition.
According to both the petition and the family’s distress message, Mr. Ezenagu fell seriously ill on March 18, 2026. He was rushed to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, where he was admitted unconscious and placed on oxygen.
His condition reportedly improved slightly before he was taken back into custody on March 24. But the relief was short-lived.
Days later, he allegedly collapsed again and was rushed back to the same hospital on March 27, unconscious. The family claims that instead of being stabilised under proper care, he was abandoned and left in a worsening state.
They describe a man now barely clinging to life, vomiting blood, bleeding internally, unable to stand or walk, and suffering visible physical breakdown.
The emotional weight of the situation has also fallen heavily on his household. His wife, who recently underwent a cesarean section, is said to be struggling with post-surgical pain while caring for a newborn baby and running between hospital wards and detention locations.
The family describes her condition as one of exhaustion, fear, and emotional collapse as she watches her husband deteriorate.
The petition also raises concern over access to medical information, alleging that hospital authorities refused to release full medical records to the family and instead indicated that documentation would be handed to the operatives.
On legal grounds, the lawyers argue that Mr. Ezenagu’s detention violates constitutional safeguards, stating that he has been held beyond the permissible period without charge, remand order, or court authorization, and that no warrant was produced at the point of arrest.
The family is now appealing for urgent intervention, warning that time is running out. Their demands include immediate release of Mr. Ezenagu, refund of all allegedly extorted funds, return of seized property, full medical treatment, disciplinary action against those involved, and a public apology.
“It is in respect of the above that we bring these facts to your esteemed office for urgent intervention before it becomes too late,” the petition stated.
Regarding the petition, the spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, said, “There is no such report before me, please. But I will escalate your information to them for necessary action to be taken.”
