By Evelyn Usman
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC and a lawyer from Agunese Mmaku Community, Enugu State, have raised concerns over what they described as contradictions surrounding the death of 19-year-old Nnamdi Chidi and the continued detention of Mr. Ifeanyi Okeke, calling for an independent, transparent, and credible investigation into the case.
Speaking at a joint press briefing in Lagos, RULAAC Executive Director, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the organisation was not shielding anyone from investigation but was concerned about “truth, due process and the danger of a miscarriage of justice.”
“We are not here to obstruct justice or to protect any suspect. Our concern is that two completely conflicting narratives exist about the death of this young man, and yet someone remains in detention without these contradictions being properly resolved,” Nwanguma said.
He explained that one version of events alleged that Nnamdi Chidi died from injuries sustained during a violent attack and that an autopsy reportedly established a prima facie case of murder, while another version, attributed to the deceased’s mother, denied any assault, insisting the boy died from a pre-existing medical condition.
“These two accounts cannot both be true. Yet, despite this fundamental contradiction, a citizen remains in custody. That is a serious issue for a constitutional democracy,” he stated.
Nwanguma also queried the credibility of the alleged autopsy report, saying, “Who conducted the autopsy? What are the qualifications of the pathologist? Was it done according to established medico-legal standards? Why does the alleged conclusion of homicide directly contradict the mother’s own account? In a murder investigation, forensic evidence must be beyond doubt, not shrouded in controversy,” he said.
He warned that continued detention in the face of disputed forensic evidence and contradictory witness statements, particularly from the deceased’s mother, raised grave concerns under Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee personal liberty and fair hearing.
Against the backdrop of long-standing intra-community disputes in Agunese Mmaku, Nwanguma said there were credible fears that police processes might be “weaponised to settle private scores rather than to establish objective truth.”
He therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to “order an independent review of the autopsy, reassess all witness statements without coercion, and ensure that this case is handled strictly on the basis of law, evidence and fairness”.
Providing background to the matter, the Legal Adviser to Agunese Town Union, Mr. Vincent Okafor, told journalists that the prolonged detention of Ifeanyi Okeke, who was arrested on November 30, 2025, over the matter had thrown the community into fear and uncertainty.
He alleged that Okeke’s detention was orchestrated by a member of his community, in the latter’s bid to keep the former away.
Explaining that the Town Union had, at an extraordinary general meeting held on January 5, 2026, reviewed the circumstances surrounding the death, the lawyer said, “All the six kindreds in Agunese were represented, including the kindred from which the deceased hailed. The position taken was clear: that the matter, as presented, did not establish that anyone was murdered. A communiqué was issued to that effect”.
Okafor recalled earlier instances in which, according to him, some community members were arrested and detained on the basis of allegations that were later found to be unsupported by evidence and were eventually discontinued, following advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“These experiences have made our people apprehensive. We have seen situations where petitions and counter-petitions, arising from internal disputes, were allowed to snowball into criminal cases, with innocent persons spending months in detention before the truth emerged,” he said.
He also recounted his personal experience with law enforcement over allegations he said were later shown to be unfounded, adding that the Nigerian Bar Association had to intervene to ensure that due process was followed.
“Our demand is simple: let the law take its course, but let it be the law in its true sense, anchored on facts, fairness and due process. No genuine crime should be covered up, but no innocent person should be sacrificed on the altar of rivalry, misinformation or abuse of process.
“Our people are not against investigation. What we are saying is that investigation must be fair, transparent and in line with the Constitution. You cannot keep a citizen in custody when the very foundation of the allegation against him is in serious dispute”, Okafor stated.
He urged the police authorities to subject the case to an independent and impartial review, reconcile the conflicting medical and witness accounts, and ensure that the administration of criminal justice is insulated from community conflicts, competing petitions and undue influence.
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