Acquitted Yet Stripped: Freed Three Cyprus-Based Students Battle Police Over Confiscated Property After 3 Years of Injustice

 

Three young Nigerians studying in Cyprus, whose lives were upended by a prolonged legal ordeal, have finally been acquitted by an Ebonyi State High Court. Despite their vindication, the Nigeria Police Force has continued to hold onto their properties, including vehicles and cash seized during their arrest.

The students; Nnaji Chidiebere Samuel, Obiedelu Chigozie, and Ezeah Izuchukwu  were arrested by officers of the Ebonyi State Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad in a dramatic operation at GRA Trans Ekulu, Enugu State. Their arrest took place on December 3, 2022, just as they arrived from Cyprus to attend a wedding. What was meant to be a joyful homecoming quickly turned into a nightmare.

Dragged to the Ebonyi State Police Command headquarters in Abakaliki, the trio was reportedly detained without due process for ten days. During this time, they were subjected to torture and forced to confess to crimes they now have been legally absolved of. The case that followed dragged on for over three years, severely disrupting their studies and damaging their reputations.

Justice I.P. Chima, in delivering judgment on suit number HAB/13/2023, stated clearly that the prosecution had failed to establish its case. The charges of criminal conspiracy and obtaining property by false pretence could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt, as required by law. The judge pointed out that a court of law must not become an instrument for enforcing obligations rooted in illegality.

“On the strength of all that has been stated above, it is the firm and considered view of this court that the prosecution failed to prove this charge beyond a reasonable doubt against any of the Defendants as ordained by law,” the judge pronounced. Accordingly, the court discharged and acquitted all three students.

Despite the ruling, their ordeal seems far from over. The students allege that their personal property, including luxury vehicles and a significant sum of money totaling ₦5.5 million, remains in police custody. These items were taken during their arrest and have not been returned.

SP Chukwu Bruno Emeka, the officer who led the arrest operation and is said to be in possession of some of the seized items, declined responsibility for their return. Speaking to SaharaReporters, SP Bruno maintained that only a court order could compel the release of the property. He suggested that the students' legal representatives must file a formal request in court, after which a directive would be issued to the officer currently holding the items.

“What concerns me with their properties, I’m just an investigator and I’m not the complainant,” Bruno said. “If they want to collect their properties, they should apply to the court but not me.”

Sources close to the students have described a troubling pattern of police intimidation. One of the trio, Samuel, had previously raised alarm about threats to his life and repeated harassment from SP Bruno, particularly after being released on bail.

The sequence of events leading up to their initial charge is equally disturbing. After allegedly extorting the students and coercing them into false confessions, police accused them of fraud. They were said to have hacked the Facebook account of Dr. Chinyere Elom, wife of the then Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi, to solicit ₦600,000 under the guise of offering job slots.

However, court investigations later revealed no credible evidence connecting the students to the phone numbers and bank accounts listed in the charge sheet. This prompted the prosecution to repeatedly seek adjournments, further delaying justice.

Even after being granted bail on December 13, 2022, the students faced further trauma. On February 4, 2023, a team of armed police officers invaded Chidiebere’s home in Enugu without presenting a warrant. Eyewitnesses reported that shots were fired into the air before officers entered the house through the ceiling. Items allegedly taken include electronics, mobile devices, jewelry, and cash.

While the court ruling has provided some measure of justice, it has yet to offer closure. The students remain locked in a struggle to reclaim their belongings and restore their lives. Their case highlights broader concerns over unlawful detention, abuse of power, and the failure of the system to ensure accountability within the Nigerian police force.

As legal representatives of the acquitted students prepare to file the necessary motions for property recovery, the larger issue remains: who will be held responsible for the years lost, the trauma endured, and the rights violated?