The Nigeria Police Force Should Focus on Facts, Due Process, and Equal Justice
My Reaction to Being Declared Wanted
On 3 July 2026, the Nigeria Police Force declared me and four other members of my family wanted. Since this matter is already in the public domain, I consider it necessary to present the background facts as I know them.
(1) The Estate Advertisement
In July 2025, Mr. Maxwell Okoye circulated a graphic advertisement offering plots of land for sale as part of an estate project in Nise. The advertisement described the land as affordable and stated its location.
(2) Our Family Identified the Land
Our family’s attention was drawn to the location stated in the advertisement because it described land belonging to our clan.
Although Mr. Maxwell Okoye is from Nise, he is neither from our village nor does he share any common boundary with our family land.
(3) We Issued a Public Disclaimer
To protect unsuspecting members of the public, our family issued a disclaimer advising people not to purchase or pay money for the advertised land.
After the disclaimer became widely known within the community, many people distanced themselves from the proposed transaction.
(4) We Petitioned the Ministry of Lands
We also believed there were irregularities in the processing of documents relating to the land and petitioned the Commissioner for Lands.
The Commissioner invited all parties to his office. Our position was that neither Mr. Maxwell Okoye nor his company had lawfully acquired the land and that the property was already the subject of a pending case before the High Court of Anambra State.
(5) The Video on the Land
On 27 July 2025, Mr. Maxwell Okoye visited the disputed land and recorded a video in which he stated that he would deploy caterpillars to clear the farmland within two days.
(6) We Chose the Law Instead of Self-Help
Rather than taking the law into our own hands, our family reported the matter to the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, through a petition dated 12 August 2025, alleging trespass and other related issues.
To my knowledge, Zone 13 invited Mr. Maxwell Okoye in connection with that petition, but he did not honour the invitation.
(7) A Counter-Petition Was Filed
Subsequently, Mr. Maxwell Okoye submitted a counter-petition to the IGP Monitoring Unit in Abuja, alleging cyberbullying and claiming that a meeting was held at Agulu Lake Hotel to plan his murder.
I categorically deny those allegations.
(8) My Brother Was Arrested
Officers from the IGP Monitoring Unit arrested one of my brothers in Anambra State and transported him to Abuja.
We were informed that he might remain in custody for an extended period. However, he was granted bail the following day and later honoured subsequent police invitations before returning home.
(9) The Inspector-General Directed That Both Matters Be Harmonised
Our family subsequently petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, requesting that both petitions be transferred to Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, since the dispute originated in Anambra State.
The Inspector-General approved that request and, by a letter dated 23 September 2025, directed that the investigations be harmonised and handled by Zone 13.
(10) Status at Zone 13
When members of our family later visited Zone 13, we were informed that Mr. Maxwell Okoye had yet to report in connection with the matter.
(11) We Were Declared Wanted
Despite the above history, on 3 July 2026, the Nigeria Police published the names of persons declared wanted.
Those listed included me, members of my family, and even our family chairman, who is a university professor.
Conclusion
Looking at the sequence of events, I believe the Nigeria Police has acted inconsistently in this matter. One striking feature of the publication declaring us wanted is that it does not clearly state the specific offence each of the named persons is alleged to have committed.
As law-abiding citizens, we will not resort to self-help or public disorder. We will continue to pursue every available legal remedy to protect our reputation, challenge what we consider an unjust action, and ensure that the truth is established through due process.
We remain confident that, in the end, justice will prevail.
Police #NigeriaPolice
- Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia II
July 3rd, 2026
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