Onitsha South Authorities Protest Agunechemba’s Arraignment Over Alleged Illegal Weapons

The Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State has accused the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 13 Ukpo, of undermining the Anambra State Homeland Security Law by arresting and charging three Agunechemba operatives for alleged illegal possession of firearms before Federal High Court I, Awka.
The Police from Zone 13 Ukpo on Friday arraigned three Agunechemba operatives, including the Commander of the State local security outfit, popularly known as Udo Ga-Achi, in Onitsha South, Mr. Echezona Joseph Ezeonyejekwe, alongside two other operatives, who were subsequently remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre by court.

Reacting to the actions of the Zone 13 Police , the Secretary of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Hon. Paul Onuachalla, in a statement titled “Police Actions Undermine Anambra Homeland Security Law,” described the arrest and arraignment of the operatives as completely inconsistent with the objectives and implementation of the Anambra State Homeland Security initiative.
He stated that the individuals involved were employees of the Anambra State Government who had been lawfully deployed to provide security services under official authority.
According to him, the attention of the Onitsha South Local Government had been drawn to recent developments involving the Commander of the State Agunechemba Security Outfit, popularly known as Udo Ga-Achi, in Onitsha South, Mr. Echezona Joseph Ezeonyejekwe, alongside two other operatives who were recently charged and remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre.
He explained that, for the record, Mr. Ezeonyejekwe and the two other operatives were lawfully deployed to provide security at the Council’s Fire Service Station located along Silas Works Road, Woliwo, Fegge, Onitsha, a facility currently under construction.
Onuachalla said the Council was deeply concerned by what he described as the unconscionable decision of Zone 13 Police Command to arrest Agunechemba operatives who were legitimately carrying out official duties and to allegedly arraign them without prior notice on Friday.
According to him, the defendants were not served with the charges against them until Friday, May 15, 2026.
“It is evident that the charge was filed before the Federal High Court on April 16, 2026, without proper service on the defendants, who only became aware of the matter at approximately 9:30 a.m. today (Friday) at the Federal High Court I, Awka.
“It must further be noted that the individuals concerned were properly identified as Agunechemba operatives attached to Onitsha South Local Government. Their police bail was duly secured by the Council through the Office of the Local Government Secretary.
“Regrettably, the Nigeria Police Force, under the authority of the Inspector-General of Police, through the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 13 Ukpo, refused to properly investigate or consider the explanations and official status of the aforementioned individuals,” he said.
According to him, what was even more disturbing was that the Police, through prosecuting counsel, Oboh Esq., proceeded to charge the operatives with unlawful possession of firearms and related offences.
He added that the prosecution also opposed the bail application presented by the State Counsel.
Onuachalla further stated that officers of the ACP X-Squad-led team allegedly detained the Council Secretary during a visit to the AIG Zone 13 Headquarters, an incident he claimed was later denied by the Police authorities.
He said the Council considered the actions a direct assault on local government autonomy and an affront to public office holders operating within the third tier of government.
“The actions and decisions of the Inspector-General of Police are, in our view, completely inconsistent with the objectives and implementation of the Anambra State Homeland Security initiative.
“Onitsha South Local Government therefore calls on relevant authorities to urgently intervene in the interest of justice, institutional harmony, and the effective implementation of the State’s community security architecture,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 13 Ukpo, Anambra State, on Friday arraigned three members of the Agunechemba local security outfit for alleged illegal possession of firearms before Federal High Court I, Awka.
According to the charge sheet obtained by our correspondent, the charges were dated April 16, 2026, but the defendants were brought before the court on Friday, May 15, 2026.
The charge sheet, with Suit No. FHC/AWK/C/73C/2026, listed the complainant as the Inspector-General of Police, while the defendants were Echezona Joseph Ezeonyejekwe, Sunday Azuma, and Chinedu Nwakwo.
One of the charges read:
“That you, Echezona Joseph Ezeonyejekwe (M), Sunday Azuma (M), Chinedu Nwakwo (M), and others now at large, between September 9, 2025, and April 14, 2026, at No. 93 Silas Works Road, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did unlawfully possess three pump-action rifles, being prohibited firearms, without licence duly granted to you, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 and punishable under Section 27(1)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Another count alleged that the defendants conspired to commit malicious damage, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
The charge further stated:
“That you, Echezona Joseph Ezeonyejekwe (M), Sunday Azuma (M), Chinedu Nwakwo (M), and others now at large, on the same dates and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while acting in concert and armed with guns, machetes, hammers, and other dangerous weapons, wilfully and unlawfully destroyed three buildings valued at Seven Hundred Million Naira (N700,000,000), property belonging to Sabest Uzor, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 451(b) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”