Amnesty International Nigeria has expressed grave concern over the continued disappearance of 52-year-old businessman, Anochie Fidel Ezechukwu, who was reportedly abducted by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force more than three years ago.
According to the rights organisation, Ezechukwu was taken from his business premises at Umudaraolisa Ehim village, Umunuko Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, on August 2, 2022, around 4:30 p.m. His whereabouts remain unknown to date.
In a post shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Amnesty International disclosed that one of the vehicles used in the abduction carried the police registration number NPF-555-NG.
The organisation demanded answers from the authorities, condemning the fact that Ezechukwu has been held incommunicado without charge or trial. It also highlighted the emotional toll on his family, noting that his 94-year-old mother and his wife remain heartbroken and continue to ask when he will return home.
The post read:
“@PoliceNG: Anochie Fidel Ezechukwu, a 52-year-old businessman, was abducted by state security agents on 2 August 2022, at about 4:30 p.m., from his business premises at Umudaraolisa Ehim village, Umunuko Ukpor, Nnewi South LGA, Anambra State. He has not been seen since then, and his whereabouts remain unknown. One of the vehicles his abductors came with bore the number plate: NPF-555-NG. His wife and 94-year-old mother keep asking every day: When is he coming back? Where is Anochie Fidel Ezechukwu, @PoliceNG?”
This latest alarm follows Amnesty International’s recent report accusing Nigerian security agencies—including the police, military, and allied militias—of widespread human rights abuses since 2011.
The report alleged that at least 1,200 people have been killed in extrajudicial executions, while around 7,000 detainees, mostly young men and boys, have died in military custody. It also documented the disappearance of hundreds of pro-Biafra activists in the South East, many of whom have not been accounted for.
Amnesty further accused senior military officers and security commanders of either authorising or ignoring these violations, stressing that its findings were based on years of research, leaked military documents, and testimonies from hundreds of victims and witnesses.
The organisation has urged the Nigerian government and police authorities to provide immediate clarification on Ezechukwu’s case and ensure accountability for ongoing cases of enforced disappearance.
