Adistraught Nigerian father, Chief Benjamin Nwosu of Umuokeh in Imo State, has raised the alarm over the continued silence of the Anambra State Vigilante Group (AVG) and the Anambra State Police Command on the disappearance of his son during an operation against gunmen in Anambra State in August 2024.
Reporters reported in January 2025 that Nwosu clashed with the AVG over the disappearance of his son, Ekene Valentine Benjamin, who went missing on August 9, 2024, during an operation by the AVG in Anambra.
Nwosu told Reporters that his son worked with the AVG for three years until the last time he spoke with him on August 9, 2024.
He said on August 16, 2024 when he couldn’t reach his son again, he called one Chidera who was the person that took his son to Anambra and was also working with the AVG.
“Chidera said the commandant in charge of AVG, Ukpo [identified simply as Mr. White] sent Ekene and some team members for an operation. Others came back successfully, but my son didn’t come with them,” he told SaharaReporters.
He recounted how he travelled to Anambra State and met the General Commandant in charge of AVG, Chief Ihenko Chinenye, popularly known as Okpompi, who told him that he was told that his son went with some team members on an errand.
Nwosu further said, “He didn’t say anything meaningful aside from that. He later told me that he didn’t know the whereabouts of my son, whether dead or alive.
“Ever since then, I have been searching effortlessly for my son but all efforts proved abortive.”
He said that on September 20, 2024, he petitioned the Anambra Commissioner of Police about the matter, and that the petition was assigned to a DCP, who then ordered the IPO in charge of the matter to invite the General Commandant of AVG, and the Commandant at Ukpo.
“The two commandants never honoured the DCP’s invitation, rather we saw a man who said he was the liaison officer.
“The DCP told the IPO to take the statement of the liaison officer. The DCP even told me to go and pray, and that the liaison officer should tell his people (AVG) to go in search of my son, Ekene, whether dead or alive till December,” Nwosu told SaharaReporters.
When Reporters contacted the AVG General Commandant, Okpompi for reaction, he confirmed that Ekene went missing during their operation.
Okpompi, however, blamed and berated Nwosu over his approach to the matter, saying that Nwosu only sent one Mr. Okey to his office over the matter, and that he told Okey that the family should calm down as the AVG was still searching for Ekene.
He said they were not sure if Ekene was killed or captured alive by gunmen or if he decided to join them.
Speaking with Reporters on the phone, Okpompi was angry that Nwosu petitioned the State CID over the matter instead of working only with AVG to search for his missing son.
He said, “That man doesn’t really know anything. If he is wise, he has never one day (come to meet me). It was one Okey he sent to me who met me in my office, and the governor was aware of the operation. It was not a secret. Even one of the military men was lost.
“Tell that man to come back and look for what he wants. If he wants to report to Abuja, let him report to Abuja. What I know is that I didn’t kill his son. We were all on duty and we went for an operation and had casualties. Everyone narrowly escaped.
“After all, another vigilante from Amichi died that day and has been buried. We have not seen the guy (Ekene) till now.”
Okpompi further said, “If he wants to make a case, he can go on and make a case. I am not afraid of it. I am not an unknown gunman. The man is not wise.”
According to him, he told Mr. Okey, who came to his office to calm down, that they were trying to find out what happened to Ekene – to know if he was alive.
“Some of these boys perform magic. It may be possible that he was abducted and he turned around and formed an alliance with those people (gunmen). We went to a battle. It happens everywhere,” Okpompi said.
He added, “I told Okey to give me time but the next thing was that the man petitioned the State CID. The problem is not a hidden problem. The governor is aware of the problem and I don’t have anything to fear. I am not God who gives life. People died during the operation.
“Whatever he wants to do, he should go ahead and do it. Wherever he wants to petition, he should go ahead and petition. He was aware that his son was doing this job. Am I happy over the issue? We have not seen the boy till now.”
He confirmed that Nwosu petitioned the State CID, but said, “If his son was a suspect and he reported that AVG was holding his son, it would have been a different case, but this one is that his son is one of us.
“We all entered the same covenant and this happened, is this what the father is supposed to be doing? Whoever is giving him this advice is killing him. If he likes, let him go to heaven and earth, it will still be settled.”
Okpompi added, “That man is not wise. His son is our blood because anyone you have a covenant with is already your blood, and he is talking rubbish there. May God forgive him and have mercy on him. I’m not happy about it.
“We wrote officially to the police that we are looking for this person. My office has written an official letter to the commissioner of police. Whatever he is doing now, I don’t know who is pushing him.”
Reporters contacted the Anambra State Police Command and the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident but promised to investigate the matter and get back to Reporters, but he never did.
“Till today, nothing has been done about my missing son,” Nwosu lamented. “It is not as if he just went missing or he was kidnapped. He was working with the Anambra Vigilante Group and he went missing during their operation against gunmen. Now they have ignored everything about him.”
In April 2025, Nwosu contacted Reporters again, lamenting that the police and the AVG have kept mute over the matter and ignored all his efforts and demand to find his son.
When Reporters contacted the Police spokesperson again on April 30, and presented Nwosu’s complaint to him, Ikenga said, “Thank you for this information. I will escalate this.”
On May 12, Reporters contacted the police spokesperson again for an update on the matter but received no response; and on May 30, when Reporters contacted Ikenga again for an update on the matter, he said, “Let ask again please.”
With no further information on the matter from the police, Nwosu on Friday July 18 told SaharaReporters that all his efforts to find his son or get a meaningful update from the police and the AVG have been fruitless.
Nwosu expressed deep frustration over what he described as official neglect, saying he has exhausted all avenues to locate his son.
““Till today nothing has been done about my missing son. It is not as if he just went missing or he was kidnapped. He was working with the Anambra Vigilante Group and he went missing during their operation against gunmen. Now they have ignored everything about him,” he said.
Describing his journey for justice, Nwosu recounted how he traveled to different government offices and sought help from civil society groups to no avail. 
About the Author
