A self-styled vigilante boss accused of murder, torture, and operating a private detention facility in Imo State was arrested last Thursday on the orders of the state Commissioner of Police, only to be released the same day, allegedly following the intervention of a local government chairman. Chibuike Duru, widely known by his alias “Nwangbenta,” was apprehended by officers acting on a directive from Imo State Commissioner of Police Audu Garba Bosso, who had invited victims of the gang leader’s alleged atrocities to meet with him directly the day before.
“The commissioner met with all his victims, including the family of the woman whose son he allegedly killed and set on fire,” a source close to the investigation told NOHR. “He was so angered by the atrocities that he ordered Nwangbenta’s detention immediately.” The source added that authorities were “surprised” when Duru was released that same day, reportedly after the chairman of Njaba Local Government Area intervened.
Human rights lawyer Justus Ijeoma called the release deeply troubling. “The fact that the release was not authorised by the CP who initially ordered the detention, and the speed at which it happened, shows that Nwangbenta has been receiving protection from highly placed politicians in Imo State,” Barrister Ijeoma told NOHR.
A Community Under Siege
Duru’s arrest followed months of investigation and advocacy by NOHR, which had documented a pattern of killings, illegal detention, torture, and extortion carried out under the cover of community security in Egwedu Autonomous Community, Atta, Njaba LGA.
NOHR’s investigation found that Duru, a former commander within a pro-Biafra separatist armed group who reportedly struck a deal with government-backed militia Ebubeagu upon returning to the community, has effectively established a parallel justice system — acting as judge, jury, and executioner in the absence of formal police presence. Operating openly with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, Duru is alleged to adjudicate disputes ranging from civil and contractual matters to domestic grievances, with his verdicts enforced through violence.
Most alarming is the existence of what NOHR has called a “house of death” — a human cage at Duru’s residence where he reportedly detains anyone who crosses him. Bail demands range from ₦300,000 to ₦1 million, with families charged ₦5,000 each time they bring food to detained relatives.
Documented Killings
At least two young men have been killed in recent months. On November 30, 2025, Chiedozie Awalie, 37, of Ubaokoro, Atta, was allegedly arrested in broad daylight in front of his father’s compound. He was subsequently killed and his corpse set ablaze. His father, Mr. Tobias Awalie, has been identified as a witness.
On January 27, 2026, Ifeanyi Nnadiemere, 25, died in Duru’s custody after being detained for allegedly transferring money from his mother’s bank account without her consent. NOHR has reviewed photographs and video footage documenting injuries sustained by Nnadiemere consistent with severe torture.
In a separate case, Chinonso Moses Ejiofor was held in the cage for approximately ten days between January 17 and 26, 2026. He was released only after a human rights lawyer intervened. Upon his release, Duru reportedly warned him that his mother would “surely lose her son” if he spoke about his ordeal. Chinonso told NOHR that at the time of his detention, at least eight other individuals were being held in the cage simultaneously. Sources told NOHR that after NOHR’s initial reporting exposed his operations, Duru relocated his activities to Njaba LGA headquarters, where he continued operating as an official vigilante under what sources describe as the protection of the local government chairman, the same official now linked to his premature release.
Lawyers Petition Police, NHRC
Prior to the arrest, the law firm of J.U. Ijeoma & Associates, signed by Chubby Ikechukwu Obianyo, Esq., had petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and the National Human Rights Commission demanding the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of Duru and his gang.
“The matter must be nipped in the bud before another gang of vicious terrorists that has emerged in Imo State takes firm root and becomes a harder nut to crack,” the petition warned, describing a community that has been “enveloped with fear” for more than a year. “The kind of things one sees in horror movies are playing out in our client’s community with sickening impunity.”
As of press time, the Nigeria Police Force has issued no public statement regarding Duru’s arrest or release.
