Grief, Outrage, and Questions: Anambra Government Accused of Silence Over Teacher’s Killing by State-Backed Force

 

A leading human rights watchdog has raised serious concerns over what it described as the “disturbing silence” of the Anambra State government following the alleged extrajudicial killing of a schoolteacher by operatives of a newly formed, government-funded security unit.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), in a scathing statement signed by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, condemned the lack of official response from Governor Charles Soludo and his administration after the killing of Mrs. Chioma Okeke—a mother of four and Chemistry teacher—by members of the Agunaechemba Security Outfit.

Tragedy struck on April 15, 2025, at the Ibeto junction in Nnewi, where Mrs. Okeke was caught in a crossfire allegedly initiated by operatives of the Agunaechemba outfit attempting to disperse a traffic gridlock through indiscriminate gunfire. The bullet that ended her life was one of many, fired into a crowded civilian area in what critics are calling a reckless and criminal show of force.

Mrs. Okeke had just finished her day at Anglican Secondary School, where she had taught since her recruitment into the Post Primary School System under Soludo’s administration in 2022. Her death has left four young children motherless and sparked widespread calls for accountability.

Despite public outrage and the alleged identification of the lead perpetrator and four other involved operatives, there has been no official condemnation from the state government. According to Intersociety, no visits have been made to the bereaved family by government officials, no compensation has been announced, and no apology—public or private—has been tendered.

Umeagbalasi criticized what he termed “government-enabled impunity,” arguing that the silence from state authorities was tantamount to giving the perpetrators immunity and suggesting a deeper culture of state complicity.

“It is shocking that to this day, Governor Soludo has remained silent, failing to even acknowledge the incident. The refusal to condemn the actions or take responsibility is seen as enabling the outfit’s lawlessness,” he stated.

Beyond the killing of Mrs. Okeke, Intersociety expressed broader alarm about the conduct of the Agunaechemba Security Outfit, which it claims operates in blatant violation of Nigeria’s Constitution and the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025—the very statute that legally established the unit.

The rights group alleged that the outfit has become synonymous with misconduct and brutality, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, disappearances, torture, destruction of property, and even the extortion of civilians under the guise of law enforcement. Other documented abuses include roadblock harassment, criminalisation of civil and domestic disputes, falsification of charges, and arrests without due process.

More disturbing, according to Intersociety, is that these actions are not isolated incidents but part of a pattern of unchecked violence, enabled by systemic gaps and a lack of accountability mechanisms within the state’s security architecture.

The organization called for a total overhaul of the Agunaechemba outfit, recommending a reset of its operational framework in line with constitutional provisions and human rights standards. It demanded swift action to prosecute those responsible for Mrs. Okeke’s death and urged the state to take financial responsibility for her funeral and commit to supporting her children through scholarships up to the university level.

In a related development, Intersociety also raised the alarm over the alleged continued detention of traditional religion and medicine practitioners by the state’s security forces. Since January 28, 2025, scores of Native Doctors and spiritual leaders known as Ndi Ezenwanyi have reportedly been held in state custody without trial.

Although the state government previously admitted to detaining at least 30 individuals from this group, only three have so far been arraigned in court, and even that came after the release of Intersociety’s comprehensive 35-page special report on religious freedoms in southeastern Nigeria. The remaining individuals—numbering at least 37 by Intersociety’s estimate—remain in legal limbo.

“These detentions, carried out in violation of due process and without transparent legal proceedings, only deepen the sense of lawlessness that has come to define the operations of this security force,” Umeagbalasi said.

Calls for transparency have intensified, with Intersociety demanding a public update on the identities and locations of those still held and a clear explanation from the government on the legal grounds for their detention.

The wave of criticisms places Governor Soludo’s administration under increasing pressure to respond not just to Mrs. Okeke’s death, but also to the broader questions of governance, accountability, and the rule of law.

What began as a tragic loss for a single family is now echoing through the political and human rights landscape of Anambra State. Without immediate corrective measures, observers fear that the situation could worsen, further eroding public trust in the state’s ability to protect its citizens and uphold justice.