Anambra police have returned ₦1,485,000 extorted from four men allegedly arrested and tortured by officers of the Anti-Cultism Unit in Enugwu-Ukwu. The victims—Makuachukwu Emmanuel Agu, Chukwuebuka David, Daberechi Vitalis Njoku, and Tochukwu Joshua—were forced to transfer the money into a designated account after being accused of cult membership. Harrison Gwamnishu, head of the Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation, confirmed the refund on Thursday, following his public outcry on March 29, 2026. He stated the officers unlawfully detained and subjected the men to physical abuse to extract false confessions.
The Complaint Response Unit (CRU) of the Office of the Inspector General of Police arrived in Awka on Thursday to oversee justice delivery. Aniete Okokon Iniedu, head of the CRU, disclosed in a post on Wednesday that Anambra Police Commissioner Ikioye Orutugu was directed to produce the officer in charge and team at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. She wrote: "The Unit has commenced investigation. A signal has been sent. The esteemed CP @policeAnambraNG formally informed to produce the OC & team at the FHQ, Abuja. Kindly remain calm as justice is assured." No arrest has been confirmed, but the probe is ongoing.
A refund does not erase the trauma of torture and false imprisonment by police officers sworn to protect. The fact that only after public pressure and a trip from Abuja did Anambra police act suggests accountability only kicks in when visibility increases. Commissioner Ikioye Orutugu's compliance with the directive to send officers to Abuja reveals a chain of command that functions more for optics than daily oversight. For ordinary Nigerians, this means justice remains a matter of exposure, not expectation.
