***Alleged 3am raid on grieving family sparks police abuse concerns
A wave of outrage has trailed allegations of a controversial midnight police operation in Imo State, where armed operatives reportedly stormed a private residence and whisked away members of a bereaved family in circumstances now being described as alarming and potentially unlawful.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a strong warning and demanded urgent intervention by the Inspector General of Police over what it calls a disturbing pattern of alleged abuse of power in a sensitive family dispute linked to burial arrangements.
At the centre of the controversy is the death of Mr. Vitus Ugbaja, who reportedly passed away in July 2025. A petition submitted to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 Headquarters, Umuahia, by Jesmond Okonkwo Esq., alleges that disagreements over burial rites scheduled for March 2026 escalated into threats and counter-accusations between the widow, Mrs. Chibuzor Ugbaja, and members of the deceased’s family.
But the situation reportedly took a dramatic turn in the early hours of the morning when, at about 3:00am, armed police operatives allegedly arrived alongside the widow and carried out what has been described as a “forceful extraction” of the deceased’s brothers from their home in Owerri.
The operation, which has been widely condemned by rights activists, is being labelled a “Gestapo-style raid” due to its timing, scale, and alleged lack of transparency.
HURIWA says the development is particularly troubling because the Assistant Inspector General overseeing Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi States was already handling the matter before the alleged operation took place—raising serious concerns about coordination, legality, and possible breach of police protocol.
The group warned that if the allegations are confirmed, the incident would represent a “dangerous collapse of professionalism” within parts of the police structure, where civil disputes are allegedly being escalated into armed midnight interventions.
HURIWA is now calling for the immediate release of the detained siblings, a full investigation into the officers involved, and disciplinary action against any personnel found to have acted outside lawful authority.
It also urged the Imo State Commissioner of Police to publicly explain the circumstances surrounding the operation, insisting that silence or denial without accountability would further erode public confidence.
“This is not just about one family dispute. It is about the creeping normalization of excessive force in civil matters,” HURIWA warned, adding that the credibility of the Nigeria Police Force is at stake.
As of the time of filing this report, police authorities in Imo State have not issued an official response to the allegations.
