Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Anambra State Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation into the death of an 80-year-old man, Paul Onwualu, who died after he was allegedly beaten by police officers during an attempted arrest at his home in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area. The command confirmed the investigation on May 12, 2026, following reports that the octogenarian died from injuries sustained during an operation linked to a protracted dispute over the traditional stool (Igweship) of the community.
The incident occurred on Thursday, May 7, 2026, when a team of security operatives stormed the residence of Mr. Onwualu. According to multiple accounts from family members and eyewitnesses, the officers were accompanied by some individuals believed to be opposed to Mr. Onwualu's aspiration to become the traditional ruler of the community. A dispute over the Igweship stool is currently pending before a High Court in Ogidi, in Suit No. HID/72/2026.
Witnesses gave a harrowing account of the event. It was alleged that during the operation, the elderly man was severely beaten and forced into a state of unconsciousness. He was then bundled into a waiting police vehicle, purportedly to be taken to the Ogidi Police Station. Tragically, Mr. Onwualu collapsed while being transported. He was rushed to the Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital in Ogidi, where medical personnel confirmed him dead on arrival.
The deceased’s wife, Anthonia Onwualu, tearfully narrated the ordeal to reporters. She accused the police and their companions of brutally attacking her husband before taking him away without a clear explanation. "On Thursday, the police, in company with some people opposed to my husband's Igweship aspiration, stormed our residence in Umusiome and beat my husband into a coma before whisking him away to an unknown destination," Mrs. Onwualu said. She added that the individuals accompanying the police scaled their perimeter fence to gain entry because the gate was locked.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, announced that a probe has been initiated. A key detail in the command's preliminary findings is that the officers involved in the arrest are not operatives attached to the Anambra State Police Command but have been identified as officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.
The statement read in part, "Preliminary information available to the Command reveals that the officers allegedly involved in the arrest before the sudden complication of the deceased’s health, which later led to his death, have been identified, but are not operatives attached to the Anambra State Police Command". The command has assured the public that the matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness and that a full investigation will be carried out to determine the facts surrounding the incident.
The Commissioner of Police for Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has appealed for calm and urged residents to allow the investigation to proceed without resorting to self-help. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, and the protection of lives and property. The command has stated that it will keep the public informed of any further developments as the investigation progresses.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments