Chidi Nwachukwu, an Anambra State local vigilance officer who detained Chibueze Isizoh, a resident, in July, is unsure if he is still alive.
FIJ earlier reported how the Special Anti-touting Squad Anambra (SASA), a group of vigilantes created by the state government in 2023 to combat crimes by market miscreants, arrested Isizoh on July 23.
At the time of the first publication on Sunday, the vigilance officer, could not be reached for comments. He later responded on the phone.
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During the phone conversation, FIJ provided some details about Isizoh, including where he was arrested and how the family saw him at the SASA’s office beside Onitsha ShopRite where he was first detained.
Responding, Nwachukwu asked, “Have they [Isizoh’s family] been to that office before? Did they meet one-on-one? Where was he arrested?”
As noted earlier, those questions were responded to in the affirmative.
Nwacukwu continued, “We are in Awka now. I don’t know how you will come to Akwa for us to meet because I don’t know the case you are talking about. We always transfer all our cases to the RRS [Rapid Response Squad].”
FIJ then promised to forward Isizoh’s picture and other details to him on WhatsApp. But Nwachukwu’s question, uttered in Pidgin English, that followed was, “The suspect dey alive?”
FIJ told him that the family could not answer that question and it was the reason they were looking for their son.
Isizoh’s family did not know his exact location until one month after his arrest. In August, Matthias Bassey, a son-in-law to the family, went to the SASA’s ShopRite Office and Isizoh was brought out of detention for him.
Bassey bought food and water for Isizoh and promised to bring new clothes for him in the next three days because he appeared to have been mistreated.
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On the day Bassey returned, the vigilantes told him they had transferred Isizoh to the Awka Police Station.
Izuchukwu, Isizoh’s brother, had checked the Akwa Police Station and correctional centres at Awka and Onitsha as well as the Anambra State Police Command. He could not find Isizoh.
When FIJ spoke with Nwachukwu again on Monday, the officer asked FIJ to check for the suspect at the Anambra Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Meanwhile, Ikenganyia Anthony, the state police spokesperson, told FIJ that he had no information about this case.
The post Anambra Vigilante Chidi Nwachukwu Denies Arresting Chibueze Isizoh Yet Asks ‘Suspect Dey Alive?’ appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.