… demands immediate, unconditional release of Darlington Ihekwere, Bethel Iwuoha detained over alleged kidnapping
An NGO, Ónúrūbé, has called for a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, reinforcing the limits of Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, and penalizing the misuse of police-community affiliations.
Ónúrúbé is a gender-based violence coalition of state and non-state actors in the five South East States of Abia, Anambra, Eboyi, Enugu and Imo, focusing on prevention, justice delivery, rehabilitation and empowerment for vulnerable and marginalized persons, while PCRC is a community policing-based organization established by the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force in 1984 to foster a partnership between the Police and the community; with a view to enhancing efficient and effective policing of communities in Nigeria.
The NGO also demanded immediate prosecution of one Mr. Donatus Ihekwere, said to be a member of PCRC in Imo State, for all alleged acts of violence, fraudulent claims and harmful traditional practices, just as it called for disciplinary action against any officer found to have colluded with suspects to suppress legitimate petitions.
In a press statement titled “ARBITRARY ARREST, UNLAWFUL DETENTION, AND ABUSE OF POLICE POWER AGAINST THE IHEKWERE FAMILY IN IMO STATE — A CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY” and signed by the Convener, ÓÑÚRÚBÉ Initiative, Marjorie Ezihe and Barr. Obisike F.N, the group called for public inquiry into the abuse of police authority in this matter, including the roles of one Mr. Isaiah Kamantan and the officers of the Tiger Base Unit of the Imo State Police Command, and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Darlington Ihekwere and Mr. Bethel Iwuoha, both of whom were arrested and detained over alleged kidnapping.
BACKGROUND:
According to Ónúrūbé, on Friday, 16th May 2025, it received a distress call from one Mrs. Chinaemere Ihekwere; reporting that her husband, Mr. Darlington Ihekwere, had gone missing after honoring a police invitation by the Political Unit of the Imo State Police Command in company of a Youth Leader, Mr. Bethel Iwuoha.
The NGO explained that the invitation stemmed from an earlier petition it submitted on behalf of Mrs. Apolonia Ihekwere – “a widow suffering violent persecution and dispossession at the hands of her late husband’s nephew, Mr. Donatus Ihekwere.”
“To our shock, we discovered that Darlington and Bethel were not only arrested without prior notice or warrant, but also transferred to the Anti-Kidnap Unit, widely known as “Tiger Base,” under the pretense of being suspects in a kidnapping case. The so-called victim? None other than Mr. Donatus Ihekwere himself – the individual indicted in our petition for criminal intimidation, land grabbing, and harmful traditional practices.”
Further inquiries, according to the group, revealed that the arrest was orchestrated not by investigative necessity, but allegedly on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police, conveyed through his personal assistant, Mr. Isaiah Kamantan, adding that “This deliberate misuse of police resources to subvert a pending petition and criminalize the complainants demonstrates the height of impunity.”
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL BREACHES:
According to Ónúrūbé, these actions are in flagrant violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), pointing out that “Section 35(1) guarantees every citizen the right to personal liberty and provides that no one shall be deprived thereof except in accordance with a procedure permitted by law, Section 36(5) presumes every person innocent until proven guilty, while Section 34(1)(a) protects the dignity of every person and prohibits torture or inhuman treatment.”
In addition, the group noted that “the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, applicable in Imo State, criminalizes harmful widowhood practices and violence against women under Sections 11 and 23 respectively, adding that “The Police Act, 2020 under Section 13(1)(b) mandates that the police must respect and protect human rights in all interactions, while Section 66 prohibits the use of police personnel for civil disputes or personal vendettas.”
A PATTERN OF TARGETED HARASSMENT AND EXPLOITATION:
Ónúrūbé explained that the case at hand is not an isolated one, saying that its records show a consistent pattern of harassment.
“On March 10th, 2025, Mrs. Apolonia and her son were falsely arrested on kidnapping allegations, detained without charge, and forced to pay over ₦85,000 and later ₦65,000 for their release. Subsequently, a further ₦1,000,000 was demanded, of which ₦350,000 was paid under the assumption of bail at the Anti-Vice Unit. Instead of release, the victims were transferred to the Anti-Kidnap Unit and further detained.”
The systemic abuse, it said, was only interrupted after national human rights actors intervened, leading to the release of Apolonia and her son on April 10th, adding that since then, the duo have dutifully responded to police invitations.
“Yet, despite full cooperation, they have been told to settle the issue “amongst themselves,” with no meaningful pursuit of justice by the police.”
The group said it has credible reports that Mr. Donatus Ihekwere is a member of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and a known police informant in the region, and “has allegedly used his affiliations to weaponize law enforcement against perceived opponents, exploit vulnerable families, and obstruct justice.”
ALLEGED KIDNAP – A DUBIOUS NARRATIVE:
Ónúrūbé categorically refuted the claim of kidnapping, saying that “On March 7th, 2025, Mr. Donatus Ihekwere was involved in a physical assault against Mrs. Apolonia” after which he was temporarily held at Ebubeagu facility to prevent further harm; following the intervention of the local security outfit, noting that his subsequent release three days later was confirmed by both community witnesses and the DPO of Mbieri Police Division.
This, according to Ónúrūbé, has now been weaponized as a fabricated basis for a kidnapping claim, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, reason the group unequivocally condemned “these acts of arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, extortion, and collusion with alleged perpetrators of violence.”
CONCLUSION:
The group noted that justice is not a privilege for the powerful, but a right for all, especially the vulnerable, saying that “Nigeria cannot claim to be a democratic state governed by law if law enforcement agencies are allowed to descend into private militias for the highest bidder.”
It called on the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigeria Bar Association, the IGP, and all relevant oversight institutions to take urgent action, recalling Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s warning that “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
When contacted, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, promised to respond to the allegations; but hasn’t done so after days.
Asked to react to issues raised against him on phone, Mr. Donatus Ihekwere insisted on having physical meeting with our Correspondent, and further threatened legal action if the report against him is published.
