Chinaka Chigozie Esq Recounts Alleged Torture, Dehumanizing Treatment By Owerri Area Commander

*Narrates Being Stripped, Hung, and Tortured After Snapping Photo

A Nigerian lawyer, Chinaka Chigozie Esq., has come out with a shocking account of torture, assault and dehumanizing treatment he allegedly suffered in police custody at Owerri Area Command.

In a detailed statement, Chigozie narrated how Area Commander David Ogbenye physically and verbally abused him together with his female secretary who he had detained while seeking to bail a client.

Chigozie said he was slapped, beaten, stripped naked and locked up for merely taking a picture of his client’s impounded vehicle on Monday September 25th.

According to him, Ogbenye rejected pleas from a senior colleague to release him and rejected his own appeals to briefly pick his kids from school before reporting back to custody.

The lawyer said he was hung upside down between two tables and brutally beaten on Ogbenye’s orders in their “torture room” until he passed out.

Chigozie alleges they aimed to force him to soil his body and only released him the next morning after an magistrate’s intervention.

The Nigerian Bar Association has been urged to thoroughly investigate the human rights lawyer’s horrific account and ensure all culpable officers face sanctions.

Activists say Chigozie’s ordeal illustrates the brazen brutality and human rights violations by security agents especially on duty lawyers and must not be condoned.

Many Nigerians have expressed outrage at the reported cruelty and called for urgent reforms to end impunity within the police force.

“Read his full story”

MY TORTURE EXPERIENCE WITH COMMANDER DAVID OGBENYE (AREAR COMMANDER OWERRI FIRE SERVICE POLICE STATION) ON MONDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER TO TUESDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER ON MY OFFICIAL DUTY TO BAIL A SUSPECT WHO HAS BEING DETAINED FOR 4 MONTHS WITH OUT ARRAIGNMENT NOR TRIAL.

Good morning learned Silks, Seniors and colleagues.I am Chinaka Chigozie Esq. a member of this esteemed branch. I was consulted by the relatives of one Wisdom Mmaduka to help bail their son who has been held as a suspect for breach of promise to marry at the Owerri Area command since June 2023 (4months) now.

On Monday around 1pm I went to the Area Command fire service to apply for the police bail of the suspect. I sought for the IPO who directed me to the 2Y/C who told me that the suspect is on detention on court Order. I humbly demanded for the order since it is a public document to ascertain if their is obligations the suspect could fulfill that has not been done that will keep him 4months in detention, she told me to go the matter is in court.

At that point I started leaving the premises with my secretary and the suspects relatives who accompanied me. I consoled them that I will be applying for the court bail of their brother. As we stepped outside moving towards the small gate leading to their Mammy market where I packed my car, the suspects Uncle said ” Barrister that Red deflected Highlander Jeep belongs to the suspect and was also impounded by the Police”. I told them not to worry that I will include it in the bail application. At that juncture I told my secretary to help me snap the plate number of the suspect’s jeep which she did with her phone. One of the police men whom I later hear them call “Bishop” call my attention on interrogatory. I introduced my self with our present NBA Branch ID card and also told him that I came for the owner of the vehicle in issue. He asked him why I should snap at the police station don’t I know is an offence? At this point I apologised to the officer as I do not know it could constitute an offence more so having introduced myself as the suspects counsel and the reason why I had to snap the plate number.

He told us we are under arrest and took us to their commander upstairs. This time it was only me and my secretary. The commander demanded to know me I further introduced myself and my secretary I further told him where my chambers is at Akwakuma Owerri, presenting my NBA ID Card. I apologetically told him the reason why I asked my secretary to take the pictures and nothing more pretentious.

At that point the commander told the ADC in his words “take this Stupid man out of this office, take his statement with his secretary and make sure you detain them ” He seized my phone and my car keys. Still apologising I told the commander that I was going to bring my 2 kids from school at works layout before this incident I begged him to allow me as my wife is still nursing a tender child and does not know my where about. The commander refused. Further pleading made his ADC push me out from his office to where I and my secretary made our statements under cursion. We were taken to their counter an I was asked to remove my clothes and sandals, my secretary the same. At this point Charles Mgbekonye Esq walked into the station I saw him and heaved a big sigh of relief.

I begged Senior Mgbekonye to help me plead with the commander to review my detention Order to forgive for whatever perceived offence I committed, to allow me bring my kids from school as then it was already few minutes to 4pm,a mission came by 1pm. Senior Mgbekonye came out from the commander’s office and told me that the man could not grant him audience . At that time he started calling the NBA Chairman and told me he was going to lock his chambers window, because of the evening rain of that Monday. The thought of my little Kids stranded at Madonna primary and nursery school made me on my own to walk inside the commander’s office cup in hands begging him to allow me at least get my kids and turn my self in. In reply to my gesture the commander one David Ogbenye shouted to the ADC “who allowed this stupid man enter his office again? has he not been detained?” In a swift reaction by his ADC from behind ,what Ianded on my eyes was a heavy blow “gbom” 2 times.I was momentarily blinded. Pains excruciatingly was dropping from my eyes not tears. At that instance and before the commander his ADC hit me severely and tore my dress in shreds living me naked in the public.At this point I told them it were better they kill me than I enter the cell without knowing my children’s fate.The commander ordered for reinforcements wherein I was beaten thoroughly and dragged into the cell and my 19yrs old female secretary was equally locked inside their female cell. Around 6.30pm, His Worship Chinedu Opara visited me in the cell and I gave him a short narrative. I hardly could recognize him as I cannot see, my eyes and face were swollen. His worship left and in a short while the cell guard told me to follow him. I came out and saw My wife carrying my very tender child, His Worship and the High court ACR Anty Perp standing with the commander.

As I was approaching them, this same commander who have been tormenting humiliating and torturing me all these while further told me in his words before the people I mentioned ” Do you know you are indisciplined?” The torture, trauma, emotion and pain was much for me to bear that I told him ” You are a very stupid commander to tell me am indisciplined, when I have done nothing to you”

He ordered that I be taken back to the cell as soon as His worship left he further ordered his boys to take me to their “torture and ordeal room”.

Here I saw hell fire as his boys cuffed my hands and legs from behind joining them they passed an iron rod ,with which 2 officers carried me each from both ends and hung me between 2 wooden tables. The presumed torture and pain in hell fire would have seen better for any living soul to experience than this episode. In that hanging position the O/C torture as they called him kept on hitting me severely with a rod. There 2Y/C a certain plum tall dark lady came and instructed them that they should not release that lawyer until they make sure I stool and urinate on my trousers I passed out. I regained consciousness to see my self in the cell with 30 other inmates in an enclosure that is not up to a standard one room.

It was on the Tuesday morning that Senior Chukwurah and Umah came and after wards the Commander charged me for insulting him and I was arraigned before Magistrate court 5. It was just the picture of my client’s car plate number packed outside which my secretary took on my behalf which I planned to use in the court bail application that led to this experience. Charles Mgbekonye Esq could bear me witness that there was nothing I did not beg the commander assuming but not conceding to the fact that the act constituted an offence,but the commander had already made up his mind to humiliate and torture me in line with my narratives.