The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Chief Emeka Rollas, has been arrested and detained by the police in Umuahia, Abia State, over accusations of imposing an unelected chairman on the guild’s Abia State chapter.
This controversy began following the election of David Onyebuchi Amalaha as the Chairman of the AGN Abia State chapter on May 20, 2023, in Umuahia.
Despite Amalaha’s election, the guild has faced continuous legal disputes initiated by Amalaha to prevent the imposition of interim leadership by the AGN’s national body.
Reports indicate that Guild members, including Chika Okezie, Egwuatu Daniel, and Nathaniel Nwoko, criticized Chief Rollas for allegedly disrupting unity within the guild by appointing multiple interim chairmen since 2023, disregarding the members’ democratic decisions.
Tensions reached a boiling point on Thursday when Chief Rollas convened a meeting in Umuahia without involving key stakeholders or Amalaha. The exclusion led to protests and a disruption of the meeting, prompting police intervention to restore order.
It is understood that a petition had been filed against Chief Rollas at the Zone 9 Police Headquarters. He was subsequently detained along with actor Emmanuel Ehumadu, known as Labista.