Youths of Mbaishii communities in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo have raised concerns over alleged unlawful arrests, assault, and harassment of residents by personnel of the Imo State Police Command.
In a statement jointly signed by the President of Mbaishii Youths Association, Kelechi Onyeike, PhD, and the Secretary, Osinachi Okere, the group expressed concern over what it described as the treatment of members of the community and the alleged disrespect shown to its traditional institution.
The youths specifically condemned the reported arrest and detention of the traditional ruler of Eziama Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Hyacinth Nwamadi, Nma II of Eziama Ancient Kingdom, in connection with a petition reportedly linked to an ongoing land dispute.
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They also alleged that police personnel conducted a night operation in the community on August 16, 2026, during which a young man who had recently returned from Ghana and had concluded his wedding ceremony earlier that day was arrested.
According to the group, the man, identified as Chikezie, was taken from his home hours after his wedding and detained at a police station.
The youths further alleged that Chikezie was assaulted after questioning the circumstances surrounding the operation and was detained alongside a person they identified as a minor.
They also alleged that police officers fired shots into the air as they left the Eziama community, causing panic among residents, while other youths were allegedly arrested.
The group said the arrests were linked to a petition submitted to the state police command concerning the alleged destruction of a fence at the site of Evangelist Ebuka Obi’s Zion Ministry in Mbaishii.
The youths said the land dispute had previously been associated with the death of Okechukwu Nwafor, whom they alleged was shot in his hometown last year and had yet to be buried.
The group said the communities had continued to pursue legal channels in seeking a resolution to the dispute and urged that their restraint should not be interpreted as weakness.
They also appealed to Evangelist Ebuka Obi and the Zion Prayer Movement Outreach to engage the host landowners in dialogue to resolve the dispute.
The youths called for the immediate release of Eze Hyacinth Nwamadi, Chikezie, the alleged minor detainee, and other residents they claimed were being unlawfully detained.
They said: “Intimidating our people and desecrating our traditional leadership will only deepen the crisis. If these arrests and hostilities do not cease immediately, the community will be forced to seek alternative means to defend our rights—a path that may ultimately prove inconvenient for both parties.”
The allegations could not be independently verified from the statement, while the position of the Imo State Police Command on the claims was not included in the statement.