Social media influencer and content creator Ezema Kelechi, popularly known as “Kelwizzy,” was granted bail and released by police on Tuesday, ending ten days in detention that began with his violent abduction from his home on 5 August. His lawyer, Frank Agbowo, confirmed that the release followed a direct order from the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, who also pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding Kelechi’s arrest and alleged torture.
Kelechi was seized from his home in Nsukka by armed men believed to have been sent by the Executive Chairman of Nsukka Local Government, Engr. Jude Asogwa, following allegations that the content creator misrepresented a road construction project executed by the Enugu State Government and engaged in cyberbullying against the chairman. Asogwa has admitted to being behind the operation but denied that Kelechi was targeted over his criticism of the state of roads in the area. He maintained instead that his grievance was with Kelechi’s claim that a state-executed road project was, in fact, being carried out by a private philanthropist.
“They Lured Me With a Phone Call”
Speaking shortly after his release, Kelwizzy gave his first account of the ordeal. He said he was lured out after receiving an anonymous phone call requesting his location. Shortly afterward, four armed men abducted him from his home and took him to an isolated building on the outskirts of Nsukka, where he says he was subjected to severe torture. He was then taken to the Nsukka Divisional Police Station, where he was detained despite what he described as mild protest from the divisional police officer, who cited concerns over his health condition.
The case has drawn condemnation from human rights advocates, who are calling for a full investigation into Kelechi’s abduction, torture, and detention. Juwon Sanyaolu, National Coordinator of the TakeItBack Movement, said police authorities must investigate not only the abduction and torture of Kelwizzy, but also the reported use of forest guard operatives by the Nsukka Local Government Chairman to hunt down critics.
Comrade Olu Omotayo, an Enugu-based lawyer and President of the Civil Rights Realization and Advancement Network (CRRAN), echoed the call for accountability, insisting that government must remain answerable to the people in a democracy. As pressure mounts on the Enugu State Police Command to follow through on its promised probe, the case has reignited broader debate over the use of informal security operatives and vigilante groups to intimidate citizens and content creators who question the conduct of public officials in Nigeria.
