Anambra: How Gunmen Allegedly Linked to Simon Ekpa Attacked Human Rights Activist, Family, and Hijacked Vehicle

Gunmen claiming to be disciples of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Biafran agitator, attacked Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), along with his family and associates in Anambra State. The assailants snatched Umeagbalasi’s Mitsubishi Hilux vehicle and demanded ransom, leaving the victims traumatized.

The first incident occurred on November 27, when Umeagbalasi’s driver, Comrade Chike Umeh, was ambushed near the Umunze-Ihite Army checkpoint in Orumba South Local Government Area. The driver, who had just dropped Umeagbalasi’s family members off in Imo State for a burial, was accosted by armed men shouting pro-Biafra slogans. They forcibly seized the vehicle, which bore “Human Rights Identity” markings, sparing it from being burned. Soldiers at the nearby checkpoint assisted Umeh, and the incident was reported to the Ajali Police Division. The car was later recovered through local efforts, but the attackers demanded ₦250,000 to ensure the funeral’s peaceful conduct and the vehicle’s release.

Just days after the vehicle’s recovery, it was targeted again on December 5 in Ezinifite, Aguata Local Government Area. Umeagbalasi’s wife, Blessing, his four-year-old son, their housekeeper, and Umeh were en route to Onitsha when gunmen struck. At gunpoint, they were forced out of the vehicle, which was loaded with personal belongings, including cash, jewelry, and funeral items worth hundreds of thousands of naira. The gunmen also hijacked other vehicles and abducted their occupants, holding several communities under siege for hours.

The Mitsubishi Hilux was later found abandoned on the Umuchu-Uga-Amesi road. It was recovered by the Umuchu Vigilante Group and handed over to the police. Efforts to retrieve the vehicle and its contents from police custody are ongoing, with Intersociety lawyers formally petitioning the Anambra State Commissioner of Police.

The attacks underscore the growing insecurity in the state. Umeagbalasi has called for the protection of his rights and property while expressing gratitude to those who assisted in recovering the vehicle. Anambra State Police Command has acknowledged the incidents, emphasizing ongoing security operations to tackle criminal activities in the area.