By BARBARA KALU, Owerri –
Police in Imo State have refuted reports circulating on social media that operatives of its Anti-Kidnapping Unit (Tiger Base) tortured a suspected IPOB/ESN financier, Magnus Ejiogu, to death while in custody.
In a statement released in Owerri and made available to journalists on Sunday, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, dismissed the allegations as “false, unfounded, and deliberately aimed at tarnishing the image of the Nigeria Police Force.”
Okoye identified the deceased—popularly known as Emu—as a 49-year-old native of Obudi Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area, who was allegedly a key financier and sponsor of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
According to the police, Ejiogu had been implicated in several violent attacks, including the 2022 assassination of Eze Ignatius Asor, the traditional ruler of Abudi Agwa, and the attack on Agwa Police Station the same year, which claimed the lives of five officers, among them a pregnant policewoman.
Okoye noted that investigations into the suspect’s case were completed, and the file had been approved for prosecution on October 20, 2025, but court proceedings were delayed due to the ongoing judiciary workers’ strike.
Providing details of the incident, he explained:
> “On 23rd October 2025, while awaiting arraignment, the suspect suddenly took ill. He was immediately rushed to the Police Clinic in Amakohia, Owerri, before being referred to the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri, for medical attention. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he was later confirmed dead by a qualified medical practitioner.”
The police spokesperson emphasized that the deceased was not subjected to torture, abuse, or denial of his legal rights during detention.
> “All procedures observed during his custody were in strict compliance with professional policing standards and due process,” Okoye stated.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, had ordered the Homicide Section of the State CID to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the medical cause of death through an autopsy.
Okoye condemned what he described as “sensational and unverified reports” aimed at eroding public trust in law enforcement, stressing that the Command remains committed to justice, professionalism, and transparency in carrying out its duties.
> “The Imo Police Command will not be distracted by misinformation. We are resolute in upholding accountability and protecting the integrity of the Force,” he added.
