Nigerian Police Arraign Enugu Businessman Over Allegations Of Forcing Employee To Withdraw Suit Linked To Attempted Murder

Nigerian Police Arraign Enugu Businessman Over Allegations Of Forcing Employee To Withdraw Suit Linked To Attempted Murder....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In an alarming move to compel truck driver Okechukwu Offor of Toshel Construction Ltd. to withdraw a fundamental rights lawsuit and a petition against Mr. Donald Ekete and certain police officers for attempted murder, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has arrested and arraigned the company’s Managing Director, Tochukwu Nzekwe. Nzekwe is currently in custody following his arraignment on two counts of promoting local warfare and conspiracy in an Enugu North Magistrate Court presided over by His Worship Chukwu Ani on September 26, 2024…..CONTINUE READING 

Mr. Ekete serves as the Managing Director and CEO of Eketeson Resources Nigeria Ltd., a competing company to Toshel Construction Ltd., owned by Nzekwe.

SaharaReporters previously reported on June 3, 2024, that three police officers assigned to Eketeson Resources Ltd., which is involved in road rehabilitation in Enugu State, severely assaulted Offor, leaving him in a coma.

After the Enugu State Commissioner of Police allegedly declined to investigate the assault and attempted murder of Offor, he submitted a petition to Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun in July. This case was subsequently assigned to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Enugu Annex for investigation. Offor also filed a fundamental human rights suit against the police officers and Ekete, seeking over ₦700 million in damages.

SaharaReporters learned that as soon as the AIG in charge of the FCID Enugu requested the transfer of the case file from the Enugu State Police Command, the CP allegedly instructed the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to charge Offor and Nzekwe with malicious damages.

On September 26, 2024, Nzekwe was reportedly abducted by officers led by an individual known as “Lion-King,” who claimed to be from the CP’s office. He was unlawfully detained, assaulted, and extorted at Oakland Hotels, where he was lured under the pretense of a business meeting.

Nzekwe’s wife, Mrs. Nkoli, recounted the troubling events to SaharaReporters, stating that the day before the incident, CP Uzuegbu assured her husband that the issues had been resolved. Ekete even informed Nzekwe that no further action was required, as road traffic officers had already addressed the damage to the newly laid asphalt caused by the driver.

However, Nzekwe was ambushed by a group led by “Lion-King,” who, along with police officers, illegally detained him at the hotel. His phone was forcibly seized to prevent him from contacting his lawyer or family. He was violently assaulted, handcuffed, and blindfolded during the ordeal.

Mrs. Nkoli described how her husband was quickly arraigned before Magistrate Chukwu Ani, with heavily armed police officers present in the courtroom, creating a hostile atmosphere as they filmed him in handcuffs. She expressed her dismay that the charges brought against her husband were unrelated to the original malicious damage claim, accusing the police of fabricating the charges of “Promoting Native War.”

In a shocking turn of events, she claimed that Ekete demanded a ransom of ₦28,350,000 for her husband’s release, alleging that this amount was supposedly instructed by the CP for his release. Ekete even provided Nzekwe with bank account details to transfer the ransom, which was later revealed to belong to Ekete’s counsel.

This situation raises serious concerns about corruption and abuse of power involving law enforcement and local political figures, who appear to be using the judicial system for extortion.

Mrs. Nkoli also pointed out that the driver who caused the road damage had previously worked for Eketeson Resources Ltd. but switched to her husband’s company after being owed six months’ salary. She explained that the driver subsequently sued Ekete and the police for violating his fundamental rights, represented by lawyer Chief Sir OAU Onyema.

She has appealed to the Enugu State government and police authorities to intervene and secure her husband’s release, asserting that he committed no offense. “Under this current commissioner, the Enugu State Police Command has a pattern of labeling individuals not in their favor as IPOB/ESN members or as promoters of local warfare to justify their unlawful detention,” she lamented.

SaharaReporters attempted to contact Mr. Donald Ekete for comment but was unsuccessful, as he did not answer multiple calls or respond to text messages.

When approached for a response, Commissioner of Police Kanayo Uzuegbu stated, “I am in a conference, I will call back later,” after acknowledging the inquiry about the situation.