An alleged case of abduction took place on Friday night in Amaedim Ngwogwo Community, Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, amid a land dispute.
The victim, Orji Ogbonna, a hamlet chairman and businessman, was reportedly taken by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC). Witnesses stated that Ogbonna was masked during the incident, leading to widespread apprehension in the area.
The incident occurred around 7:30 pm at Ogbonna’s shop in Amaedim Ngwogwo Ishiagu. The NSCDC team, led by Innocent Igwe, allegedly whisked him away in a suspicious manner. Reports indicate that Ogbonna may still be in custody at the NSCDC Headquarters in Abakaliki, the state capital.
Ogbonna’s wife, Onyekachi Orji, who is nine months pregnant, expressed her distress over the arrest, urging the Commandant-General of NSCDC to intervene. She called for disciplinary action against Innocent Igwe for allegedly abusing his position to unlawfully detain her husband.
READ ALSO: Reps Approves Inquiry into Alleged Fraudulent Land Deals in FCT
“I was surprised about what happened. My husband was just whisked away yesterday. I think the people that did it are Civil Defence people. They masked him, put him in their vehicle and drove off,” she said, adding that she is nearing her delivery date and needs her husband’s support.
Igwe, the leader of the NSCDC team, justified the arrest, claiming Ogbonna obstructed community decisions regarding land distribution and challenged the government’s White Paper on the dispute.
“Orji Ogbonna was arrested by Civil Defence operatives because he refused to follow government’s directive on the resolution of the land matters affecting my community,” Igwe stated.
However, investigations revealed that the Commissioner for Border, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mr. Ilang Donatus, did not authorize Ogbonna’s arrest, and no White Paper on the land dispute was issued by his office.
READ ALSO: Deadly Land Dispute in Nasarawa Claims Seven Lives
State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Willie Bassey, confirmed the arrest and ongoing investigation, urging journalists to visit the office for further updates.
Attempts to contact the Ivo Divisional Officer and the IPO handling the case for comments were unsuccessful.
The community now awaits further clarification and action from the relevant authorities to resolve the ongoing tension.