A prominent traditional ruler in Enugu State, Igwe Obiora Igwesi, his brother and former federal lawmaker, Hon. Uchenna Sunday A. Igwesi, popularly known as USA Igwesi, and eight other persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with an alleged violent attack on a Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ward meeting in Obuoffia, Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
The arrests, reportedly carried out on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, followed a petition submitted to the Inspector-General of Police by Chief G. Tagbo Ike, SAN, on behalf of the NDC Obuoffia Ward.
According to reports, detectives from the Zone 13 Command in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, effected the arrests following the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
Those reportedly arrested alongside the traditional ruler and former lawmaker are Uchenna Moses Ani, also known as Odogwu; Chidi Ani; Oko Nwodo, alias Buzuzu; Dominic Arum, alias City Hangout; Ifeanyi Solomon Nwobodo, alias Agege; Victor Okechukwu, alias Ogboni; Nnabuike Ani, alias Stone; and John Chukuma Ogbodo.
The petition accused the suspects of alleged conspiracy to commit a felony, unlawful possession of firearms, attempted murder, assault occasioning grievous harm, threatening violence and stealing.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the arrests form part of an ongoing police investigation.
The incident at the centre of the investigation reportedly occurred on September 12 during an NDC ward meeting at Ihuani Awkunanaw in Obuoffia.
The NDC said the meeting had been properly authorised, with permission allegedly obtained from the Divisional Police Station in Agbani. The location is also the home ward of the party’s Enugu State governorship candidate, Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa.
According to the petition, a convoy consisting of three vehicles and two motorcycles passed the meeting venue while party members were gathered.
The petition alleged that Igwe Igwesi made threats as the convoy passed, before gunshots were fired at the gathering.
The NDC alleged that several participants sustained injuries in the incident, while eight individuals were specifically identified as having suffered gunshot wounds. They include Hon. Donald Onovo, Hon. Maduka Ngene, Mr. Victor Onovo, Madam Ogbodo Gloria, Mr. Maduabuchi Ugwu, Mr. Nelson Nnaemeka, Mr. Chinonso Nwagbara and Mr. Obinna Daniel Owo.
The party subsequently petitioned security agencies, calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack. Contemporary reports confirmed that the Enugu State Police Command had ordered an investigation after reports of armed men disrupting the NDC meeting with gunfire.
The NDC later petitioned the police, Department of State Services and other institutions, describing the incident as part of what it regarded as an escalation of political violence in the state.
The party’s governorship candidate, Chinyeaka Ohaa, subsequently visited members who were injured during the incident and pledged to assist with their medical expenses and other treatment-related costs.
The latest arrests have consequently intensified attention on the incident as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.
The petition submitted by Chief Ike cited several provisions of the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State and the Firearms Act, arguing that the allegations, if established, could amount to serious criminal offences.
It urged the police to investigate the matter and ensure that anyone found culpable was brought before the appropriate authorities.
The arrest of former lawmaker Uchenna Igwesi has also revived public attention to an earlier controversy involving him and the death of a young man, Chinedu Ani, in Enugu in 2005.
Amnesty International documented the case in its 2009 report, Killing at Will: Extrajudicial Executions and Other Unlawful Killings by the Police in Nigeria. According to the organisation, Ani and his friend were shot by police officers after a politician reported that he had been attacked by armed robbers. Amnesty reported that no weapons were found on the two men or in their vehicle.
Amnesty further reported that the Enugu State Government established a Commission of Inquiry into Ani’s death in September 2005. The commission completed its work in November of that year and submitted its report to the state government. However, Amnesty said the report and any subsequent government white paper had not been made public at the time of its 2009 report.
The rights organisation also quoted the then Divisional Police Officer of Ogui Road Police Station as saying that the shooting could have been avoided and that pressure had been placed on the police officers involved.
Those historical allegations remain separate from the current police investigation into the September 2026 NDC meeting attack. No conclusion from the current investigation has been publicly established against the persons arrested.
The latest incident is also occurring against the background of other disruptions of political activities in Nkanu West.
The Enugu State Police Command previously confirmed reports of two separate incidents on September 12 involving an NDC ward meeting at Obuoffia and a Peoples Democratic Party gathering at St Joseph Primary School, Agbani. Police said armed hoodlums allegedly disrupted the NDC meeting and that canopies and chairs prepared for the PDP event were destroyed. The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, ordered a thorough investigation into both incidents.
The NDC has accused political opponents of responsibility for the violence, but such allegations remain claims requiring investigation and evidence.
With the latest arrests, the attention of political stakeholders and the public is now focused on the police investigation and whether sufficient evidence will emerge to support criminal charges.
The development also highlights concerns about political violence as parties intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
For now, the suspects remain entitled to due process, including the presumption of innocence, while the police establish the circumstances surrounding the Obuoffia attack and determine whether the allegations contained in the petition can be substantiated.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to clarify the identities and roles, if any, of those responsible for the reported violence and establish whether criminal proceedings should follow.
