The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has voiced alarm regarding the frequent detention of business owners at the Ozomagana Building Materials Market in Onitsha, Anambra State. The organization has formally requested that Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu and the Anambra State government intervene to stop the harassment and arbitrary arrests of market officials.
Intersociety argues that a private commercial disagreement between Modebe Enterprises Limited and the market association is being wrongly handled as a criminal case. The group claims that police interference has only intensified the friction, replacing legal resolution with intimidation and extortion. According to their statement, officers from the IGP’s Special Investigation Unit in Abuja have consistently targeted leadership figures under the pretense of investigating life-threatening behavior.
Since mid-November 2025, over six separate arrest operations have targeted individuals such as Obiora Okoro, Ikechukwu Aneke, and Chigozie Ejiofor. Intersociety asserts that these actions ignore existing court directives from the Nnewi High Court. The group warns that utilizing law enforcement to settle business disputes erodes public faith in the legal system and creates an environment ripe for abuse. They are calling for an immediate investigation into the conduct of the officers involved and a return to civil judicial proceedings to resolve the lease conflict.
