How Police Detained Me, My Wife and Children for 10 Hours, Extorted N150,000 in Anambra — TheCable Journalist

Jude Egbas, deputy editor of TheCable, has recounted how officers from the Otolo Nnewi Police Command in Anambra State allegedly arrested and detained him alongside his wife and children for about 10 hours before releasing them after collecting N150,000.

Egbas said he, his wife Ogechukwu Chukwujekwu, and their children — Munachukwu (13) and Adela (3) — were arrested on December 28, 2025, in Ndiakwu community, Otolo Nnewi, while visiting family for the Christmas holiday.

How the incident began

According to the journalist, the incident started after his wife was assaulted by her uncle, Collins Okechukwu Anya, who was visiting from the United States.

“Anya had attacked and slapped her twice as tempers rose. The altercation had stemmed from an alternative power supply arrangement the night before, as the building is not yet connected to the power grid,” Egbas said.

He explained that the situation escalated when his wife damaged a television set while trying to defend herself.

Vigilantes allegedly assault family

Egbas said Anya subsequently contacted the head of a local vigilante group, Agunechemba, whose armed members arrived and allegedly assaulted occupants of the building.

“Before long, the vigilantes were beating up everyone in the building. Helen, my wife’s younger sister, was dished a hot slap and her clothes were ripped apart. She was basically stripped naked,” he narrated.

He added that when he confronted the attackers, he was also assaulted.

“I had confronted the assailant to say it was wrong to be laying a hand on a woman or treating a lady in that manner. But I was roughened up too for my troubles and insulted by the gun-wielding team. I basically had a gun pointed to my head at this point.”

Police arrest entire family

As the family prepared to leave the premises, officers from the Otolo Nnewi police station, led by Superintendent Onyebuchi Isiwekpeni, reportedly arrived and arrested them.

“I was dragged by the waist like a common criminal and bundled into the police van parked outside. I watched helplessly as police officers beat up my wife, leaving marks on her body,” Egbas said.

“My wife and her sister, my children, were also thrown into the back of the van. Then our phones were seized. What breaks me to this day was my three-year-old crying in my arms as we were driven to the police station.”

At the station, Egbas said Isiwekpeni reacted angrily after he identified himself as a journalist.

“‘Idiot. Bastard. If you are a journalist, so what? Silicon, compound fool!!’” the officer reportedly shouted after removing his face cap and glasses.

“I read journalism too and I don’t use it because it’s such a useless profession,” Egbas recalled.

He added that his wife was also verbally abused and slut-shamed by the officer.

Detention and extortion

Egbas said he, his family, and their caregiver were detained for about 10 hours, without access to their phones, food, or water.

Around 5pm, he was allegedly called out and asked to pay money for their release.

“First, I was told to pay N220,000. We pleaded for more than an hour. Thereafter, we were asked to pay N150,000,” he said.

“We were all drained at this point and night was fast approaching. It was a Sunday and I had to report to work the next day. The police made it clear that we were all going to spend the night in the cell if I didn’t pay up.”

After a relative based in the United States sent the money, Egbas said he was allowed to leave the station to withdraw the cash.

“When I returned, with the N150,000 concealed in a black polythene bag, Isiwekpeni still coerced me and my wife to write statements and an undertaking, and still made me sit as he counted the money to make sure it was complete to the last kobo, before we were let go,” he said.

Opinion Nigeria News