Tensions have escalated in Ebonyi State following reports that security operatives, allegedly acting on the orders of the state government, abducted and tortured the nursing wife of prominent activist Chika Nwoba.
The incident, which occurred on the night of Thursday, July 30, 2026, in their residence in Awka, Anambra state, has sparked widespread condemnation from civil society groups and ethnic youth organizations, who describe the act as a descent into “executive rascality and impunity.”
According to a harrowing account shared by Chika Nwoba on his Facebook page, over 15 police officers stormed his residence in Awka, Anambra State, around 7:00 PM. The activist alleged that the operatives gained access to the apartment through the ceiling, where they subjected his family to hours of torture. “They beat my wife with the butt of a gun and kicked her belly,” Nwoba wrote. “They took her away to an unknown destination.”
Nwoba further revealed that the abductors later used his wife’s phone to contact him, issuing a chilling ultimatum: he must surrender himself to the authorities or his wife would be killed. He alleged that his younger siblings were told explicitly that the “Ebonyi Governor wants [Nwoba] alive or dead.”
Reacting to the development, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) held an emergency press briefing in Abakaliki on Friday. The group’s National President, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of orchestrating a political witch-hunt against Nwoba ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“Comrade Nwoba Chika Nwoba’s wife did not commit any crime other than being the spouse of a vocal advocate for good governance,” Igboayaka stated. He described the abduction of an innocent nursing mother as an act of extreme impunity and a violation of democratic principles.
The OYC emphasized that criticism is a vital component of democracy, allowing governments to rectify errors and implement effective policies. The group urged Governor Nwifuru to leverage such criticism for better governance rather than resorting to the persecution of dissenting voices.
The Council has formally called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to launch an immediate investigation into the operation. Specifically, they are demanding a probe into officers attached to the Ebonyi State Police Command who were allegedly involved in the cross-border raid into Anambra State.
“The Nigeria Police Ebonyi State Command’s abduction of an innocent woman in search of her husband constitutes a grave act of impunity,” the OYC president added, demanding her immediate and unconditional release.
The abduction comes amid what opposition voices and civil society groups describe as an increasing intolerance of dissent in Ebonyi State. The incident has raised serious concerns regarding the safety of activists and their families, as well as the rule of law in the region.
As of the time of this report, the Ebonyi State Government has not issued a formal response to the allegations. The whereabouts of Mrs. Nwoba remain unknown, leaving her family and supporters in a state of high anxiety.
