By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Further updates have emerged on the case of Mr. Chibuike Agina, an Anambra businessman who had earlier accused operatives of the Agụnechemba security outfit (popularly known as Operation Udo Ga-Achi) of abduction, extortion, and forced confession under duress.
This is coming barely one month after the REPORT and videos on the incident first trended on social media, exposing how the security operatives allegedly took the Ekwulobia-born business man into bush and extorted a huge amount of money from him by compelling him to transfer money from his bank app to an unknown POS account. Chibuike, in the video also recounted how the security operatives forced him to confess on video (under duress) that he’s a thief and would never steal again, before eventually released him and also threatened him to tell anyone what he passed through.
However, fresh details shared over the weekend by human rights advocate, Mr. Harrison Gwamnishu, indicate that a whopping sum of ₦1.83 million, allegedly extorted from the victim, has been recovered from the said security outfit, Operation Udo Ga-Achị.
The latest revelation was made by Gwamnishu through videos and posts on his social media handles, where he detailed how his team facilitated the recovery after the case was brought to their attention. According to him, Mr. Chibuike’s ordeal began after a false accusation by a boutique owner in Awka, where Chibuike had gone to purchase clothes. The boutique owner reportedly alleged that Chibuike failed to pay for some items, leading to the intervention of Operation Udo Ga-Achi operatives who were invited to the scene.
Gwamnishu narrated that the operatives first forced Chibuike to transfer ₦430,000 to the boutique owner before abducting him to an undisclosed location. There, the operatives allegedly coerced him into transferring an additional ₦1.4 million into a POS account they provided — an amount that would have been more if not for the victim’s transfer limits.
Gwamnishu wrote: “We recovered the total sum of ₦1,830,000 from the local vigilante security outfit set up by Anambra State Government to fight insecurity. I call on Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to establish a monitoring unit to oversee the activities of these local security outfits, as some may be involved in criminal activities within Anambra State.”
He also shared full video footage showing how Chibuike was allegedly forced to record a “confession” video in the bush, detailing how the victim was instructed on what to say after being threatened. Gwamnishu expressed concern that many such videos of supposed confessions from Anambra might actually have been made under duress.
“Consider the potential consequences if he had chosen to be uncooperative. Imagine people who would have believed the vigilante story that they arrested a criminal. From now on, it is essential to verify any video featuring individuals confessing to crimes from Anambra State. It is possible they are being coerced, potentially at gunpoint,” Gwamnishu added.
Reacting to the development, many netizens have reiterated their calls for justice and systemic reforms of the security outfit, with many urging Governor Chukwuma Soludo and security agencies to probe the activities of local vigilante outfits more rigorously.
The case has also continued to attract reactions from various corners, with many hailing Gwamnishu’s intervention as a bold step toward ensuring accountability, while also calling for comprehensive reforms to prevent recurrence.
Efforts by this reporter, Izunna Okafor, to get confirmation and the reaction of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Homeland Security, Chief Ken Emeakayi proved unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or earlier message of inquiry, as at the time of filing this report. Similarly, no official statement has been released by the state or any other authority regarding the development.
Watch the videos below:
