Three Man O’ War Members Arrested Over Killing of FUTO Student

The Imo State Police Command has arrested three students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), in connection with the alleged murder of a 21-year-old undergraduate who was reportedly beaten to death by members of the university’s Man O’ War organisation over an accusation of stealing N13,500.

The deceased, Chinedu Christogonus (also identified as Chinedu Chibuzor Christogonus), was a 100-level Cyber Security student at FUTO. He reportedly died on Saturday, May 30, 2026, after he was allegedly restrained and subjected to severe assault by members of the paramilitary campus security group. The incident has sparked widespread outrage on the campus, with angry students reportedly going on a rampage, burning buildings and destroying property within the university. In a viral video circulating on social media, students were seen in large numbers demanding justice for their slain colleague, systematically demolishing Man O’ War signposts and perimeter fixtures, and setting several structures on fire.

Confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Henry Okoye, disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that Christogonus was allegedly assaulted by some Man O’ War members after he was accused of stealing N13,500. Okoye identified the suspects arrested in connection with the incident as Chukwuemeka Benedict, 21; Kelechi Ikenna, 24; and Obioma Anastasia, 21, all of whom are 500-level students of FUTO. According to the police, initial findings indicated that the deceased was allegedly restrained and subjected to severe assault, resulting in critical injuries. “He was subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel,” the statement read.

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Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, CP Audu Garba Bosso, immediately directed operatives to take swift action, leading to the immediate arrest of the suspects. Relevant evidence has been secured, while the corpse has been deposited in the morgue for preservation and autopsy. To ensure a thorough, professional, and discreet investigation, the Commissioner of Police has ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri, for comprehensive investigation. He further directed that all persons connected to the incident be identified and investigated, with a view to ensuring that justice is served. “The Commissioner of Police assures the family of the deceased, the university community, and members of the public that the command is fully on top of the situation and remains committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the death. He emphasizes that no individual, regardless of status, will be shielded from the law if found culpable,” the police statement read.

According to multiple reports, the tragic incident began on Friday night, May 29, 2026, when Christogonus was arrested by members of the Man O’ War organisation over an accusation of theft. The FUTO Association of Campus Journalists described the incident as one of the darkest moments in the institution’s history. According to the union, Christogonus was serving as the aide-de-camp (ADC) to the commander of the cadet organisation on the campus, noting that the incident stemmed from an internal dispute within the paramilitary group. “Accounts surrounding the origin of the dispute remain conflicting,” the union’s statement read. “While some sources allege that Chinedu was accused of stealing N13,500 belonging to the commander, Benedict, others maintain that the issue stemmed from an alleged debt of N13,000. Regardless of the differing accounts, multiple sources claim that Chinedu was subjected to hours of severe assault and punishment that reportedly lasted between five and six hours.” Witnesses alleged that the beating continued deep into the night, with the student enduring repeated physical abuse at the hands of fellow members of the organisation. Several students pleaded for his release, but their pleas were ignored until he allegedly died as a result of the torture.

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The news of his death sparked immediate outrage and a swift retaliatory onslaught from the student body. The confirmation of the freshman’s death turned the university campus into a battlefield as thousands of enraged students mobilised in solidarity. In one video clip, a thick crowd of students can be seen utilizing clubs and heavy stones to completely demolish the signpost and perimeter fixtures of the paramilitary organization. Another video reveals a much more dangerous escalation, showing desperate students setting several structures on fire. Plumes of thick, dark smoke can be seen billowing heavily over university buildings, forcing lecturers and administrators to flee the campus for safety. It was gathered that C.E. Orji, dean of student affairs, and Christopher Bukas, president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) , made efforts to engage the protesters. However, the students declined to back down, insisting that nothing short of the complete dissolution of the Man O’ War unit would satisfy their demand for justice.

“The boy was brutally beaten just because of an unverified accusation that he stole N13,000,” a distraught student leader told SaharaReporters. “Instead of handing him over to the university’s official security unit or the Nigeria Police for proper investigation, these Man O’ War elements locked him up and beat him like an animal until he died. This is pure murder, and we will not allow it to be swept under the rug.” Speaking to TheCable, Nduka Victory, the SUG public relations officer (PRO) , said the university had placed an indefinite ban on Man O’ War activities on the campus in a bid to calm the rising tension.

The tragic incident has renewed intense debates regarding the high-handed operations of quasi-security and volunteer paramilitary groups across Nigerian university campuses. Students have routinely complained that bodies like the Man O’ War, cadet units, and local campus vigilantes often operate outside the law, using torture, arbitrary detentions, and raw physical violence to extort and terrorize students under the guise of enforcing campus discipline. The destruction of the base at FUTO represents a total rejection of these parallel security structures by the student body.

The police command appealed to students and members of the public to remain calm and allow the investigation to run its course, reiterating the command’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all those responsible are brought to justice. As of the time of this report, the three suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue. The corpse of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue pending autopsy.

Three Man O’ War Members Arrested Over Killing of FUTO Student

Abducted Oyo Principal’s Husband Weeps, Begs Makinde to Secure Her Release

The husband of abducted Oyo school principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, broke down in tears as he spoke about his kidnapped wife, while begging the government to rescue her and other schoolchildren held captive in a terrorist den. Mr. Alamu made this emotional appeal on Saturday when Governor Seyi Makinde visited Esiele, the community raided by bandits on May 15, which resulted in the abduction of over 40 staff and schoolchildren. Mr. Alamu introduced himself as “the husband of the abducted principal of Community High School Esinele.” According to Tribune Online, the grieving husband is Prof. Wole Alamu, Dean of Renewable Natural Resources at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) , Iseyin Campus. “My wife is the woman the terrorists record to speak to Nigerians. Seeing video of my wife in terrorist den is depressing and disheartening,” Mr. Alamu said as he broke down in tears. The professor commended Governor Makinde’s intervention but urged him to sustain efforts towards securing the victims’ release. Another resident, Mrs. Funmilayo Ojo, disclosed that four of her grandchildren and her son’s wife were among those abducted, while other community members described the incident as the first of its kind in the area.

On Friday, Mrs. Alamu, in a video recorded by her abductors, issued a desperate plea from captivity. “I’m here again to beg the government. Governor Seyi Makinde should dialogue with these people. They should not use force. The force they used yesterday has cost us so much,” she said. Begging the government to secure their release, Mrs. Alamu warned that the abductors had allegedly selected one of the captives for execution following a failed rescue attempt by security operatives. “In fact, one of us has been picked that they are going to kill him. Please, we want you to call them and dialogue with them so that our lives will be saved,” she said. In another video, the distressed principal revealed that she and the other captives had spent 13 days in the bush, exposed to harsh weather conditions. “Please, help us. We beg you in the name of God, please have mercy on us. This is too much. In the sun and in the rain. Both old and young, we are in the same place,” she pleaded. Mary Akanbi, one of the abducted teachers who is nursing a baby, also appealed to Governor Makinde to negotiate with the kidnappers for their freedom. “We are pleading with Governor Seyi Makinde, please help us, negotiate with these people. Whatever they want, please give to them. We are all here; we the teachers and the students,” she said.

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Mr. Makinde spoke to the families of the abducted teachers and schoolchildren during his visit to the community on Saturday, assuring them that the abductees would be released. “All I need is your cooperation. Please trust us. I cannot speak much because it has security implication. I know your hearts are bleeding. My heart is also bleeding. Please trust us. We will secure their release,” Mr. Makinde said. The governor disclosed that he had been holding regular meetings with security chiefs as part of efforts to secure the victims’ release. “I have not been sleeping well myself. Together with the service commanders, we meet twice every day, one in the morning and one at night, sometimes until 10 or 11 p.m.,” he added. Makinde described the abduction as particularly disturbing, noting that cases involving primary school pupils were rare in Nigeria. “There is nowhere in Nigeria where we have seen this sort of situation where primary school students are kidnapped. If it were secondary school students, we have heard that before, but primary school students are strange,” he said. He stressed that while many Nigerians had expressed opinions on how the crisis should be handled, authorities must proceed with caution given the sensitive nature of the ongoing operation. “This is not the time to trade blame between the state government, the federal government, local governments or any other institution. This is a time for unity. Let us come together with one purpose: to rescue our children and their teachers safely,” he said.

Mrs. Alamu’s plea comes 13 days after she and others were abducted. The coordinated terrorist attack on May 15, 2026, targeted three schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School, Alawusa. During the attack, mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun was beheaded by the abductors. A motorcyclist was also killed, and a security personnel died after running into improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the abductors during early rescue attempts. The attack triggered protests in Ogbomoso, where teachers suspended classroom activities and marched peacefully to the office of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), demanding urgent action to secure the release of those still being held captive.

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President Bola Tinubu condemned the killing of Michael Oyedokun as “barbaric” and assured that the Federal Government is working closely with the Oyo State Government to secure the release of all abducted victims. The President also disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police is personally leading a technology-driven operation aimed at rescuing the victims and apprehending the perpetrators. In his Children’s Day message, President Tinubu specifically addressed the abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, assuring them that they had not been forgotten. He pledged that his administration would intensify efforts to secure their safe return. The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, also announced the deployment of additional detectives from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to collaborate with the joint security team, while the Defence Headquarters said troops had made contact with the abductors and were working to ensure the rescue of the victims.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed deep concern over the continued captivity of the pupils and teachers, describing the situation as “heartbreaking, barbaric and unacceptable.” The union called for expedited and more decisive actions from the government and all relevant security agencies, emphasizing that “time is of the essence.” NUT President Titus Amba had earlier warned that the next attack on any school could trigger a nationwide shutdown of basic education schools, stating, “If teachers are not safe where they work, then the system has failed because our schools are endangered.” As of the time of this report, the victims remain in captivity, with their families enduring an agonizing wait for news of their loved ones’ safe return. The Oyo State Government continues to work with federal security agencies to secure the release of all abducted persons.

Abducted Oyo Principal’s Husband Weeps, Begs Makinde to Secure Her Release

Imo: Family Alleges Police Neglect as Gunmen Abduct Inspector on Official Duty

The family of a police inspector allegedly kidnapped while on official duty in Imo State has accused the state police command of failing to take meaningful steps towards securing his release.

Inspector Eku Egim Eku was reportedly abducted by armed men on Monday, May 25, 2026, while travelling to Orlu, where he had been assigned to provide security services at a financial institution. According to family members, the officer was officially drafted by his unit command to provide armed security escort and bank guard services at a financial institution in Orlu town—a geographic zone that has been heavily criminalized by violent separatist gunmen and rogue militia cells. The inspector was intercepted midway through his journey by the gunmen, disarmed, and dragged into the dense forests characteristically used by terrorists as operational bases in the state.

Speaking on the incident, a family member expressed frustration over what he described as the lack of response from the Imo State Police Command since the incident occurred. According to information gathered, the officer was deployed by his unit to undertake bank guard duties in Orlu, an area that has witnessed repeated security challenges in recent years. During the journey, he was allegedly intercepted by gunmen, disarmed and taken away.

“One inspector, EKU EGIM EKU, has been kidnapped by armed terrorists in Imo State,” the victim’s brother cried out. “The said inspector is my brother. He was kidnapped on Monday while on his way to Orlu in Imo State for a bank guard duty.”

The family further alleged that despite several appeals, they have received no assistance from the police authorities in the state. Speaking to SaharaReporters on Saturday, May 30, a direct sibling of the abducted officer exposed how the family’s frantic appeals for assistance from the state police command have been completely stonewalled. The distraught family members accused the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, of showing absolute “indifference” and refusing to deploy tactical search-and-rescue teams to track down the kidnappers.

“All efforts from us the family proved abortive as the command is totally not willing to offer any support,” the heartbroken sibling claimed on Saturday.

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The relative claimed that five days after the abduction, the family had yet to receive updates or assurances regarding efforts to locate and rescue the officer. The most damning aspect of the officer’s disappearance, according to the family, is the alleged refusal of the top brass of the Imo State Police Command to acknowledge the incident or initiate standard hostage-rescue protocols, leaving the family entirely at the mercy of non-state actors.

Attempts to obtain the reaction of the Imo State Police Command were unsuccessful. All efforts by SaharaReporters to speak with the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Henry Okoye, regarding the incident were completely unsuccessful. The command’s spokesperson did not answer multiple phone calls placed to his mobile line and failed to respond to a detailed text message seeking his comment on the development as of the time of filing this report.

Orlu and surrounding communities have experienced recurring security incidents in recent years, with security personnel among those targeted in attacks by armed groups operating in parts of the area. The Orlu senatorial district of Imo State has degenerated into a high-risk zone for uniform-wearing security personnel. Dozens of soldiers, police operatives, and civil defense corps members have been killed, decapitated, or vanished without a trace along this axis over the past few years.

This incident has again drawn attention to the security challenges facing the Orlu axis of Imo State, an area that has witnessed repeated attacks on security personnel and public institutions in recent years. Security observers have previously raised concerns about the safety measures available to officers deployed to high-risk locations, urging authorities to strengthen operational support and surveillance capabilities to reduce their exposure to attacks.

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Security analysts have repeatedly criticised the police hierarchy for failing to provide adequate armored transport or tactical air surveillance for personnel deployed to high-risk zones like Orlu, effectively leaving lower-ranking officers vulnerable to well-armed ambush squads. They have consistently warned about the dangers confronting officers deployed to volatile areas, urging authorities to improve operational support, intelligence gathering and protection measures for personnel working in high-risk zones.

The abduction of Inspector Eku comes amid a broader pattern of violent incidents targeting security personnel and civilians in Imo State. Just days earlier, on May 30, 2026, unidentified gunmen killed at least eight people, including security personnel, in Abacheke community, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state. The attackers reportedly stormed a checkpoint within the community and opened fire, causing residents to flee for their lives.

On May 13, 2026, gunmen also attempted an abduction along the Umuokwo Ihiagwa/Eziobodo Road in Owerri West LGA, an area that hosts the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). That operation failed following a swift response by police operatives, local vigilante groups, and community members who mobilised in large numbers. In response to that incident, the Commissioner of Police for Imo State, CP Audu Garba Bosso, ordered the deployment of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) , alongside other tactical and intelligence assets, to the affected area.

Despite these security challenges, the Imo State Police Command has recorded some successes in recent months. In March 2026, the command announced the arrest of 75 suspects linked to various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and cultism, with recoveries including three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, 65 rounds of live ammunition, two locally made pistols, one Beretta pistol, and six stolen motorcycles. In February 2026, the command arrested 15 suspects over alleged offences ranging from kidnapping, murder, and armed robbery to cultism, child trafficking, and terrorism-related activities linked to IPOB/ESN, recovering 10 firearms including four AK-47 rifles and 260 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, in March 2026, police operatives neutralized a suspected terrorist and recovered arms following an attack on Adapalm in Ohaji/Egbema local government area.

However, critics argue that these tactical successes have not translated into sustained security for officers on routine assignments like bank guard duties. The abduction of Inspector Eku highlights the persistent vulnerability of police personnel operating in high-risk areas of the state.

Security experts have also raised concerns about the lack of official acknowledgment of the incident by the police command. The family’s allegation that the Commissioner of Police has shown “indifference” to their pleas suggests a breakdown in communication between the command and the families of officers serving in dangerous postings.

As of the time of this report, no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of Inspector Eku Egim Eku, and his whereabouts remain unknown. The Imo State Police Command has not issued any official statement on the incident. The family continues to appeal to the authorities for urgent intervention to secure the officer’s release.

Imo: Family Alleges Police Neglect as Gunmen Abduct Inspector on Official Duty