By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anglican Diocese of Ogbaru in Anambra State has petitioned the Chief of Naval Staff over the alleged assault of one of its clergymen by a naval officer at a checkpoint in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The petition was contained in an open letter dated December 1, 2025, and signed by the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev’d Prosper A. Amah, JP, who described the incident as unlawful, degrading, and a serious abuse of military authority.
According to the Diocese, the incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at a naval checkpoint located at Okpotouno in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state. He said the victim, identified as Reverend Tochukwu Agina, was on transit via a commercial vehicle when he was reportedly stopped by naval personnel and accused of making a phone call and taking pictures at the checkpoint.
It was gathered that even after the priest told them that he didn’t do anything like that, they insisted and ordered him yi come down from vehicle. And when he did, they collected his phone, searched through it and could not find any picture of them or recent call record, which all indicated that the allegation was false.
According to the Diocese, despite these vindication, the priest was still beaten up and subjected to physical assault and inhumane treatment by a naval officer at the checkpoint. It was further disclosed that he was later given first aid treatment at a naval clinic after sustaining injuries from the alleged attack.
In the letter, the Diocese emphasized that the priest is a law-abiding citizen and a minister of the Gospel, who openly identified himself both in his mode of dressing and verbally during the encounter. The Bishop noted that the alleged action of the officer amounted to a violation of the victim’s fundamental human rights, the military code of conduct, and the ethical standards of the Nigerian Navy.
The Diocese stressed that while it acknowledges the sacrifices of the Armed Forces in defending the nation, no circumstance should justify brutality, false accusation, or the dehumanisation of any Nigerian citizen. It further stated that the uniform of the Nigerian Navy represents honor, discipline, and service, not intimidation.
Consequently, the Diocese formally demanded a transparent and independent investigation into the incident, the identification and disciplinary sanction of the officer involved, and an official communication to the affected clergy, his family, and the church community.
Other demands include the implementation of preventive measures through renewed training on civilian-military relations and rules of engagement, as well as adequate compensation for the assaulted priest.
The Diocese expressed confidence in the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff to ensure that justice is served and that public confidence in the Armed Forces is preserved through accountability and prompt corrective action.
Meanwhile, the narrative of the Diocese was corroborated by the account earlier given by the alleged brutalized cleric, Rev’d Tochukwu Agina, who recounted his ordeal in a viral video, further adding that the naval officer also hit his scrotum while brutalizing him.
Speaking on record shortly after the incident, the priest whose clothes were saturated with blood, with bandage on his head narrated thus:
“What happened was that I was going back home inside a commercial vehicle. When we got to the Naval checkpoint along Atani road, the soldier there was collecting money from one of the vehicles in front of us.
“After, he came to our own, he saw me holding my phone and my bag and he said, Are you making calls? I said, I’m not making calls. He said, let me see your phone to know if you took any picture. I opened my phone and showed him that I did not take any picture or make call. My phone was on WhatsApp.
“He said, Okay, that I should come down. So, I came down from the vehicle and asked for the senior officer there. Then, the intelligent officer there now called me.
“I went to him and was explaining what happened between me and the soldier, when another soldier came out from the inside and pushed me, I told him that he should not touch me. Then the next thing was, he asked for permission from the officer and the officer granted him the permission.
“Then he started brutalizing me, slapping me and beating me up, hitting me with sticks. He hit my scrotum, hit my legs and then eventually poured me water with soap before he burst my head and the later he took me to the clinic for treatment.”
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, gathered that this incident and alleged brutalization have sparked off a chain of reactions in different social media platforms, with many condemning the alleged actions of the officer and joining their voices to call for justice for Reverend Agina.
However, as of the time of filing this report, there has not been any official public response from the Nigerian Navy authorities regarding the allegation.
Watch the video below:
