Our correspondent
The Osuagwu family of Obollo in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, Imo State, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to prevail on the Anambra State Police Command, to release their son Mr. Peter Osuagwu, his wife Mrs Franca Osuagwu, being detained incommunicado by the Police since May 30, 2023.
They alleged that Peter, a fish farmer residing in Ossomala, Ogbaru Local Government Area, Anambra State, and his wife Franca, a traditional birth attendant and farmer, are being held by the Police on trump up allegation of being members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB.
Spokesman of the family, Nze Christian Osuagwu, who addressed newsmen with the family lawyer, Mr Nnamdi Alokalam, said that Peter and his wife Franca, are victims of power play with an ex-police officer who lost his job because of indictment to cover an alleged abduction and a rape case against Peter’s daughter.
According to Nze Osuagwu, “Mr. Peter Osuagwu and his family have been living in Ossomala for over 20 years without any problem with anybody, until one week after Easter in 2020, when his daughter was allegedly abducted and raped by one Chisom Nwadialo, a nephew to Udenze family of Ossomala.”
“One of the Udenzes tried unsuccessfully to throw his weight to prevent the arrest and prosecution of Nwadialo, in court, but Peter and his wife ensured that the suspect was arrested and prosecuted in court, the matter is pending in Atani High Court.
‘Not happy with Peter’s insistence that his daughter’s abduction and rape case should not be swept under the carpet and subsequent arrest and prosecution of Nwadialo, Peter and his family became a target of vendetta by a former senior police officer who arrested him and his wife in Ossanala, Anambra State and took to his base in Aluu Rivers State.
Peter engaged a Port Harcourt based lawyer who after many failed effort to release him and his wife finally released them in Enugu where they were later transferred when pressure became so much on the former police officer.
According to a petition by Peter through his lawyer, Mr. Nmamdi Alokalam to the then Inspector General of Police, one “Mr Udenze, from Udenze family in Ossomala, tried to use his position to shield the alleged rapist relation from arrest, and equally tried to block the case from going to court, but was outwitted by Osuagwu family who ensure that the suspected abductor and rapist, was arrested and charged to court, and the matter currently pending at the Atani High Court.”
According to the petition, “The arrest of the alleged abductor and rapist, and his subsequent charging to court did not go down well with Udenze, who is a Commander of FCIB in Aluu Rivers State, and since then he has been arresting and intimidating Peter and his family members using the police.
The petition by Alokalam against Udenze stated that, “Some time in 2020, Mr Peter’s daughter went to a primary school in Ossomala to pick some flowers to do her Biology assignment and was abducted by Chisom Nwadialo, a relation and market revenue collector, who is a relation of Udenze.
“Mr. Udenze, serving in Aluu Obiakpo Local Government Area, Rivers State tried to suppress the case, but we thwarted all his effort to sweep the case and ensure that the alleged abductor and rapist was arrested and the matter charged to Court.
“The matter was reported at Atani Police Station before Peter’s petition to the Commissioner of Police Anambra State, but the DPO was helpless because of the influence of the CSP Udenze, who did not allow the junior officers from Ogbaru sent for arrest Nwadialo, until Peters petition to the Commissioner Police, Anambra Police Command, who ordered the arrest of the alleged abductor and rapist, and he was subsequently arrested detained for some days and taken to court.
Angered by Nwadialo’s arrest, CSP Udenze mobilized a detachment of Police from his FCID, Aluu in Rivers State, to Ogbaru where he arrested Peter and the wife, took them to his personal house and ordered his community boys who beat Peter and the wife mercilessly before taking to to his Aluu command.
“Our effort to secure Peter and his wife’s freedom in Aluu, Rivers State was rebuffed by the hostile police men in the station, who were working on instruction of CSP Udenze, their boss. It was when I insisted that Peter and his wife must be released to me, that the police men hurriedly drove out with the husband and wife, who were later discovered to have been taken from Aluu, Rivers State to the Anti Kidnapping Unit in Enugu, Enugu State.
“We also went to Enugu to secure their released, and at Enugu, the officer in charge of the Anti Kidnapping Unit, a fine, very honest and disciplined police officer, told us that he could not see any substance in the case, that he could only see vendetta and old scores that have not been settled and pleaded that the two families settle the matter amicably.
He told the Osuagwu’s that he would release the husband and wife to the then Ogbaru Council Chairman Hon. Arinze Awaogu and Chief Mike Ibewuihe, a prominent man that was brought by Osuagwu’s family as requested by the Anti Kidnapping Unit Commander Enugu, to settle between the two families.
The next day, Hon. Awogu and Chief Ibewuihe, took the pains to honour the invitation of the Anti Kidnapping Unit Commander in Enugu, who handed the husband and wife over to them for the settlement between the families.
“However, nobody came from the CSP family who were operating on his instruction, did not honour invitations extended to them for peace settlement.”
“Not sure of their next action against the husband and wife, as they were not forthcoming for peace, the Osuagwu family were at alert for their next possible action because CSP Udenze was out for vendetta for his alleged unruly and unprofessional conducts that led to his punishment.
“Our petition to Inspector General of Police, Police Service Commission and the the Human Rights Commission, led to thorough investigation which was conducted by Police and Udenze was punished with a demotion from his rank for his alleged unprofessional conduct and he saw it as an affront on his person and against his position and resigned from police.”
“Feeling humiliated by his punishment by the police authorities, CSP Udenze after his demotion was said to have been frustrated out of the Police and he returned home to continued his hunt against Peter and his wife and the climax of his unprofessional conduct was mobilizing the police in Anambra State days after the attack of the US Embassy team in Ogbaru, by tagging Peter as Commander of IPoB who allegedly led the attack on the US Embassy team, an allegations the Osuagwu family described as “a lie from the pit of hell.”
According to the Osuagwu family lawyers, Peter and his wife were subsequent arrested and since over six weeks and kept incommunicado by the police in the state over alleged membership of IPoB, while hoodlums in Ossomala were mobilized to burn their house after Peter and his wife were arrested.
“Peter’s house help, Chinemerem who sat for the last Join Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Examination and will soon enter into Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, on seeing how their house was razed down, went to see if she could salvage her West African School Certificate, was accosted by hoodlums who molested her, stripped her naked and were taking her to where they will kill her after she shouted for help with no help coming, was latter allegedly rescued by Navy officials on patrol in the area.
However before the arrival of the Navy officials, Peter’s first son Chibuzor, was informed where he was outside Ossomala, that some youths were about killing his sister who was shouting for her, and the boy with the assistance of his friend who took him in a motorcycle to the scene where his sister was held, Chibuzor was overpowered and beaten to death, with his friend who was asking his offense and the two were burnt with the motorcycle.
The family alleged that till date, nobody from Osuagwu family or relations knows the whereabout of Peter and his wife. We have been searched the whole police stations and formations in the state, we have gone to DSS, and Navy they claimed ignorance of the whereabouts of the couple.
Till now the police in Ogbaru or the state have not arrested any single person for the killing and burning of Chibuzor and his friend, but our concern now is to ensure that Peter and his wife are alive. after we have confirmed their safety, we know what to do about the killing of their son.
It is unfortunate that in this modern world, 21st Century, people still take laws into their hands and nothing happens, the same security formations that are supposed to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry are actively involved in extra judicial killing and maiming of the citizen. The tax payers who pays their salaries. No justice, you pick up somebody, burn his house, kill his son, and refuse to give them access to their family members or his lawyers.
We want to tell the world that our family does not get involve in criminal activities and we are all doing well both at home and abroad, we don’t want to go into how God has blessed us, but we are all hard working people. Peter has been a very hardworking man, very progressive and respectful to people, and decent in everything he does.
Peter has never fought with anybody since over 20 years he has been living in Ossomala, he has legitimate businesses he is doing that are giving him money. He has a lot of fish ponds and also has pumping machines that he uses to pump water out of pond and catch fish in hundreds of tons.
“His son Chibuzor that was killed by the recruited hoodlums was born over twenty years there in Ossomala. Peter has landlords that he pays rents and royalties to. He has legitimate businesses and means of income. He is never a troublemaker and has never fought with anybody in Ossomala or other nearby communities where he does his fish pond business. Peter is popular in that community and participates in community activities.
“The question in the mouth of everybody that knows Peter, is how come all of a sudden since 2021 when he had issues with Udenze family over the abduction and rape of his daughter for days and his refusal to allow the matter to be swept under the carpet, he has turned to a criminal and IPoB commander. Peter is not a member of IPoB, let alone being their Commander in Ogbaru, and does not have any relationship with IPoB.
“Even when I spoke with the Anambra State Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Operations he was taking Peter for one IPoB commander he was calling Kito. Peter is not Kito and has no relationship with Kito. Kito is not Peter, and Peter is not Kito. From investigations we have made, Kito is a different person, not Peter. Peter is tall and fair in complexion and Kito is smallish and short, so there is disparity and distinction between the two individuals. The Deputy Commissioner of Police called Peter Kito because that was the name they gave him which is not Peter.
“Peter, his wife and their Chinemerem have the right of access to their lawyers and doctors, we learnt that they sustained serious injuries during the course of their arrest and ordeal in the hand of the hoodlums, they therefore need the attention of their doctors. And if the police have any case against them, they should be charged to court not keeping them incommunicado.
“Peter and his wife do not even know that their son Chibuzor have been killed and burnt by the recruited hoodlums in Ossomala, for now we are concerned about the life of Peter his wife and daughter, when we get that done with, we know what to do about the killing of their son.
“We therefore appeal to the IGP to ensure that Peter and his wife and daughter are released unhurt. And if they committed any offense, they should be charged to court to answer any case against them. We equally want the killer of his son Chibuzor, who went to rescue his sister Chinemerem to be arrested and charged to court.”
