Anxiety In Anambra Community As Family Raises Alarm Over Arrest Of American Returnee
The Okafor family of Umuokpalaeri village in Enugu-Ukwu has expressed concern over the safety of their brother, Chief Amobi Okafor who was arrested and taken to Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Awka on Wednesday.
Amobi is an American citizen based in North Carolina and is currently in Nigeria on Christmas holiday.
Celestine Okafor, who spoke on behalf of the family, told journalists in Awka on Thursday that some policemen came to Amobi’s house and told him the Deputy Commissioner wanted to see him on invitation.
He said Amobi promised to honour the invitation the next day but the officers insisted he must go with them which he conceded after speaking with DCP on phone .
“The policemen said they were from the Anti Cult Unit and that they wanted Amobi to celebrate yuletide for them but later they said they were from SCID and that the DCP wanted to see him.
“When we asked for the arrest warrant, they said there was none and we told them it was not an invitation but arrest, so they took my brother with them and up till now, nobody is telling us anything.
“Amobi was literally abducted,” he said .
Okafor said the arrest was connected to the crisis within the Ozonkpu Society of Enugu Ukwu which resulted in the factionalisation of the group one of which Amobi was the spokesman.
He said a member of the second faction (name withheld )has petitioned InterPol against Amobi based on posts on Facebook where he purported that the petitioner was not an indigene of Enugu Ukwu.
The petition dated July 1, 2025 bothered on Criminal Defamation, Cyberstalking and Bullying against Amobi.
Okafor said his younger brother who was in America at that time, responded and promised to honour the invitation on his return to Nigeria.
He also provided evidence of Amobi’s letter requesting the Interpol to schedule a visit for him during the Christmas period but noted that there was no reply until the Police swooped on him in his house.
According to him, we want to know who came for him and where they are taking him because there is no charge against him or warrant for his arrest.
In a reaction, the Police Command in Anambra said it was not aware of the development as at press time.
SP Toochukwu Ikenga Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra said the command could not dabble into a matter before the InterPol as two investigation unions were not supposed to be on a matter at the same time.
