Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A human rights organisation has called on Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo to take decisive action to resolve a lingering property dispute in Onitsha, amid growing concerns that the involvement of the Nigeria Police Force is escalating tensions and leading to the arbitrary arrest and detention of traders. The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) made the appeal on Monday, July 27, 2026, urging the governor to ensure that the state government's ongoing intervention results in a transparent and lasting resolution to the conflict, which threatens one of the region's major commercial hubs.
The dispute involves the Ozomagana Building Materials Market Association in Onitsha and the Modebe family over ownership of a property in the state. According to Intersociety, the disagreement resurfaced in November 2025 and has since required a comprehensive and impartial resolution to prevent further escalation. In letters dated Friday, July 24, 2026, addressed to the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Mrs. Amaka Nnaka; the Attorney General of the State, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN; and the Commissioner for Commerce, Mr. Nomso Ebonwu, the group commended the state government for stepping into the matter. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to Governor Soludo, urging him to consolidate the intervention and consider establishing a special panel of inquiry to complement the ongoing investigation by the Ministry of Commerce.
Intersociety Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi stressed that the expected findings of the ministry could serve as a working document for such a panel, helping to achieve a comprehensive and unbiased resolution while restoring normal business activities in the market. The group warned that without a thorough and impartial probe, the dispute could spiral into violence, with severe consequences for traders and the broader Onitsha business community.
However, the most urgent concern raised by Intersociety centres on the conduct of police officers involved in the case. In a separate letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunde Disu, the organisation called for an immediate halt to what it described as the criminalisation of a purely civil property dispute by the IGP's Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and other police formations. Intersociety alleged that some leading traders in the market association have faced arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, and extortion since April 2026. The group specifically named former Chairman of the Ozomagana Building Materials Market Association, Obiora Okoro, as well as former Assistant Secretary Ikechukwu Aneke and former Treasurer Chigozie Ejiofor, as individuals who had been arrested on multiple occasions, with the latest arrest reportedly occurring on July 11, 2026.
Intersociety maintained that the police intervention has resulted in repeated harassment, intimidation, and alleged extortion of traders associated with the market, despite the state government having issued a directive on July 7, 2026, to all parties involved. The group demanded that the Inspector-General of Police order the unconditional release of anyone still being detained in connection with the dispute, discontinue further arrests, and transfer the case file to the Anambra State Police Command for appropriate handling by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Umeagbalasi also called on the IGP to direct officers and personnel of the SIU, the Legal Department, and other units involved in the matter to immediately withdraw from the case and stop further arrests and detention. He stressed that any officer found to have acted improperly should be investigated and sanctioned, while those allegedly detained unlawfully should be released.
The dispute and the police response come against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Onitsha's commercial landscape, following Governor Soludo's enforcement of a one-week closure of the Onitsha Main Market in January 2026 over traders' observance of the Monday sit-at-home order. That closure, which involved the deployment of armoured tanks and heavily armed police personnel, resulted in significant economic losses, with some estimates putting the cost at over N200 billion. While the market eventually reopened after traders agreed to resume Monday trading, the latest dispute over property ownership threatens to further destabilise the commercial hub.
Intersociety's intervention underscores the delicate balance between state authority and the protection of civil liberties in Anambra. While the group acknowledged the government's timely intervention in the property dispute, it made clear that the involvement of the police must not be allowed to criminalise what remains a civil matter. The organisation stressed that the dispute required a comprehensive and impartial resolution, not the arbitrary arrest and intimidation of traders. The group's demand for the transfer of the case file to the Anambra State Police Command and the SCID reflects a desire to ensure that the investigation is conducted at the state level, in line with the government's July 7 directive, rather than by federal police units based in Abuja.
As of Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the Anambra State Government had not issued a public response to Intersociety's latest appeal. However, given the government's previous commitment to resolving the dispute, stakeholders are hopeful that Governor Soludo will take the necessary steps to ensure a fair and transparent process. The call for a special panel of inquiry, if heeded, could provide a pathway to a lasting resolution, while the demand for an end to police harassment would restore confidence among traders who have borne the brunt of the crisis. For the traders of the Ozomagana Building Materials Market, the hope is that justice will prevail, and that the intervention of both the state government and the police will ultimately serve the cause of peace and the rule of law, rather than perpetuate a cycle of fear and uncertainty.
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