BREAKING: Singer Anyafulugo Discloses His Shocking Encounter Of Harassment With Lawless Nigeria Policemen At Onitsha Metropolis Onitsha, An...
BREAKING: Singer Anyafulugo Discloses His Shocking Encounter Of Harassment With Lawless Nigeria Policemen At Onitsha Metropolis
Onitsha, Anambra State – April 10, 2025
A chilling account of police harassment in Upper Iweka, the bustling commercial hub of the Onitsha city, has reignited concerns over the conduct of security operatives in Anambra State. On April 9, 2025, singer Anyafulugo (@_Anyafulugo on X) shared a disturbing experience involving a police officer who threatened to shoot him, shedding light on the persistent issue of police brutality and extortion in the region.
In a video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on April 10, 2025, obtained by Family Writers Press International, Anyafulugo recounted the incident that took place the previous day.
According to his story, he was harassed by a group of Nigeria police officers on his way from Asaba, Delta State over wearing and possessing a hat decorated and designed with cowries, he spoke with a mix of frustration and disbelief. “A fat police man who should be bothered about his weight threatened to shoot me yesterday,” he said, his tone reflecting the gravity of the encounter. The officer, whom Anyafulugo described as “fat” and an accomplice of the newly formed Anambra State militia group called “Udo Ga Achi,” allegedly told him, “I was lucky we were outside where people could see us. If not, he would shoot me.”
Anyafulugo disclosed that his cultural adornment and affiliation as an artist was the pretext which the police hung on to harass him accusing him of having Occultic ties. He also emphasized the broader systemic issues at play, stating, “Nigeria is an illegal structure!”
The incident which in Upper Iweka, a notorious hotspot in Onitsha which in recent times is known for its high crime rates. A 2021 Nairaland forum post had previously described the area as increasingly dangerous, citing frequent shootings and armed robberies. This reputation for insecurity, coupled with this artist experience, paints a grim picture of the challenges residents face, not only from criminals but also from those meant to protect them.
BREAKING: Singer Anyafulugo Discloses His Shocking Encounter Of Harassment With Lawless Nigeria Policemen At Onitsha Metropolis
— Emeka Gift Official (@EmekaGift100) April 13, 2025
Onitsha, Anambra State
A chilling account of police harassment in Upper Iweka, the bustling commercial hub of the Onitsha city, has reignited… pic.twitter.com/Kdi0xtPgiw
Anyafulugo’s story which has gathered significant attention and uproar on X by netizens, accused the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of recruiting untrained, ethically bankrupt operatives harboring criminal vindictiveness against proponents of the Indigenous traditional way of life, calling on him to leash on these combined task forces of the Police and the Udo Ga Achi operatives.
The mention of Soludo is particularly relevant given recent efforts made by his government to address the insecurity bedeviling the state as the gubernatorial election day draws near. On April 2, 2025, Punch Nigeria newspaper reported that Governor Soludo inaugurated a new state security supervisory committee to tackle rising insecurity and extrajudicial highhandedness of the security operatives. The militia program, dubbed “Operation Udo Ga Achi,” which was created earlier this year is said to aim at combating criminals and fifth columnists masquerading as Biafra agitators and traditional religious practitioners respectively to perpetrate high levels of crimes in the state. The newly created committee according to the government would foster collaboration between government agencies, traditional rulers, practitioners and local leaders to create a safer environment. However, Anyafulugo’s experience suggests that these measures may not yet be yielding the desired results on the ground.
The X thread sparked a wave of reactions from other users, many of whom expressed solidarity and shared similar experiences. A user, @Tgzzmm, replied to Anyafulugo’s initial post, recounting a similar incident on April 7, 2025, where police officers demanded 100,000 Naira from him, only to plead for 10,000 Naira when he insisted on seeing their Divisional Police Officer (DPO). “Don’t give them any chance for intimidation!” the user advised. However, in some cases of citizens trying to exercise their fundamental human rights, they have either ended up shot and framed by the police or forcefully arrested and detained indefinitely.
Other users, like @OIkeazota, called Nigeria “a jungle of injustice,” while @nze_nwadialo criticized Soludo’s security agencies, stating, “It looks like these his security agencies are doing more harm than good!!”
"Does this mean that those armed forces are not aware that cowries... [are] a very significant element of the Igbo societal heritage and culture?" Another X user, @NwaMNK questioned in his post, while quoting the post, highlighting the ignorance and prejudice embedded in the actions of the Nigerian police.
This incident is not an isolated one. A July 2024 report by Punch Nigeria highlighted the plight of tricycle passengers along the Onitsha-Owerri Road, who decried incessant harassment and extortion by security operatives. One victim, Kingsley Ebuka, appealed to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, to address the issue, alleging that policemen at checkpoints routinely extorted money from passengers and humiliated them. The report detailed an incident where passengers were forced to disembark from a tricycle and were extorted for 200 Naira at a checkpoint opposite the School of Metallurgical Training Institute.
The broader context of police misconduct in Nigeria adds another layer of urgency to Anyafulugo’s story. A 2023 Amnesty International report revealed that, three years after the #EndSARS protests against police brutality, at least 15 protesters remained arbitrarily detained in Lagos, facing trumped-up charges. The report noted that police brutality, including extrajudicial killings and extortion, continues with “almost absolute impunity,” despite claims of reform following the 2020 protests.
Anyafulugo’s video has reignited calls for accountability and reform in Anambra State’s security architecture and more extensively the entire South-East. While Governor Soludo’s recent initiatives signal an intent to address insecurity, the live experiences of citizens like Anyafulugo etc highlights the level of insecurity that even the security agencies poses against lawabiding, innocent citizens. For now, residents of Anambra State living in the Onitsha Metropolis around the Upper Iweka axis and beyond continue to navigate a precarious landscape where the line between protector and predator often blurs.
The extrajudicial dispositions of the Nigerian security forces happens to be so ingrained in the system, that professional conduct regardless of the sect or group will always be an elusive dream.
Family Writers Press International
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