Residents of Idima Abam community in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State staged a major demonstration on Thursday, December 4, 2025. They were protesting the arrest and continued detention of their traditional leader, Ezeogo Chukwu Jonah, who is being held in a police facility in Abuja.
Arrest and Community Outcry
The protest saw community members come out in large numbers, carrying placards with various messages. According to accounts, Jonah was arrested on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. The incident occurred at a security checkpoint in Ntigha, along the busy Aba-Umuahia Expressway, as he was returning from Aba.
He was subsequently transferred to the Life Camp police facility in Abuja. The President-General of Idima Abam, Patrick Dike, addressed journalists, stating that the arrest was ordered by the Force Headquarters. He claimed it followed a petition from an influential individual within the community itself.
In response, the community has petitioned the Abia State government through their representative, the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly. Placards displayed during the protest bore pleas such as 'Release our Ezeogo, Chukwu Jonah', 'Governor Alex Otti, please help Idima Abam Community', and 'Let the Police stop harassing and intimidating innocent community members'.
A Deeper Conflict: Kingship Tussle and Murder Allegations
Dike explained that the situation is rooted in a protracted leadership and kingship tussle between two families in the community. Both families lay claim to the vacant traditional stool. He further alleged that this conflict has had violent consequences.
Community sources revealed that between 2017 and 2019, a banned group allegedly murdered four members of Idima Abam. The victims were described as poor villagers who left behind widows and children. The community asserts that bringing the perpetrators to justice has been difficult due to the alleged backing of wealthy patrons.
In a significant move, on October 21, 2022, a group of indigenes led by Chukwu Jonah petitioned the Deputy Inspector-General of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (DIG FCID) in Abuja. They reported the murders and other human rights violations.
Allegations of a Flawed Investigation
According to the President-General, the petition was later transferred to the FCID in Enugu for investigation. However, he claims the investigation was compromised. The investigators allegedly never visited the families of the deceased. Instead, they are accused of fraternizing with the suspects and their sponsor during their visit to the village.
The eventual report from the police, according to Dike, concluded that the principal petitioner, Chukwu Jonah, had given false information. It is reportedly on the basis of this finding that Jonah is being detained at Life Camp. The community claims he has been denied access to family members and even food.
The wife of the detainee, Mrs. Mary Chukwu Jonah, confirmed the details of her husband's arrest, which she said happened between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm at Ntigha. She revealed a disturbing detail, stating, "I was asked to say that my husband died in an accident, but I refused to say so."
At the time of reporting, the police had not officially responded to the allegations. Calls placed to the spokesperson for the Abia State Police Command went unanswered.
