Elders of Umuocha Village of Avu Autonomous Community in the Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State have slammed N10.4 Bn Fundamental Rights suit against the Inspector General of Police and four others for illegally attempting using brute force to seize “Mgbabo Uzji” community land for one Engr. Christian Mike Onyekachi
The suit marked CV/701/2026 filed on 17 February 2026 at the High Court of Federal Capital Territory Abuja
by former Attorney General of Imo State Chukwuma – Machukwu Ume , SAN, for the Applicants seeks a redress for fundamental human rights breaches .
It disclosed that the Applicants: Elder Godwin Okpara, Elder Chijioke Maduike and five others Sir Reginald C. Mbajunwa, Engr. Franklin Mbajunwa ,Mr. Ikechukwu Bernard Uba, Mr. Davison Uba, Mr. Ifeanyi Uba were merciless beaten by police as they complained against demolition of their land known as “Mgbabo Uzji ” in the Umuocha Village of Avu Autonomous Community in the Owerri West Local Government Area Imo State.
The Applicants were beaten, their land and houses demolished by Bulldozers while a camera and phone of a journalist assigned by Imo State Broadcasting Corporation to cover the demolition were forcefully and unlawfully damaged.
Beside the beating, the Applicants:Elder Godwin Okpara, Elder Chijioke Maduike and five others of Sir Reginald C. Mbajunwa, Engr. Franklin Mbajunwa ,Mr. Ikechukwu Bernard Uba, Mr. Davison Uba, Mr. Ifeanyi Uba were arrested and moved to Abuja over night.
The Inspector General of Police, DSP Charles Peace, Engr. Christian Mike Onyekachi, Vertex Estate Nigeria Limited and Imo State Housing Corporation are listed as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Respondents respectively in the suit responsible for the Applicants ordeal .
The brutalized and aggrieved Applicants are praying for an order of the Hon Court restraining (Inspector General of Police and DSP Charles Peace) the 1st and 2nd Respondents from interfering in the land dispute between the Applicants and Engr. Christian Mike Onyekachi,
Imo State Housing Corporation , among others.
They have asked for court declaration that is unlawful and ultra vires the power of the 1st and 2nd Respondents to move in aid of the 3rd to 5th respondents against the applicants for the purpose of taking the applicants land.
A declaration that the act of 1st and 2nd Respondents restraining and preventing the applicants from entering their land known as “Mgbabo Uzji” in the Umuocha Village of Avu Autonomous Community in the Owerri West Local Government Area Imo State is unlawful and ultra vires the power of the power of the Nigeria Police Force.
A further declaration that the physical assault and merciless beating of the Applicants as well as demolition of Applicants lands and houses by the Respondents is a violation of their fundamental human rights.
A declaration that the arrest and detention of the 3rd applicant for attempting to cover the Respondents is a violation of his fundamental rights to rights of freedom of expression and press.
A declaration of the Hon Court that the misuse of the 1st and 2nd Respondents by the 3rd to 5th respondents in brutalizing, arresting , intimidating and demolition of the Applicants and their lands is illegal and constitutional.
Therefore,the Applicants prayed for an order of the Hon Court for special damage of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000 ) against the Respondents covering costs of hospital bills for the treatment of the applicants that were merciless beaten and sustained injuries.
They also asked for an order of the Hon Court for aggravated damages of Ten billion Naira (N10,000,000,000) against the Respondents for their false imprisonment .
An order of the Hon Court for general damages Twenty Million Naira (N20, 000,000) against the Respondents for the psychological, mental and physical trauma suffered in the ordeal inflicted upon them by the Respondents.
An order of the Hon Court restraining 1st and 2nd Respondents from further inviting the Applicants on civil issue relating to the Applicants and the 3rd to 5th respondents.
A ten paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abraham Ita Udoh with several exhibits attached in support of the suit details the ordeal the Applicants went through in the hands of the police.