The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of popular Anambra-based content creator and social commentator, Justice Ozobi, over allegations he made against the Commissioner of Police in the state.
The Command said Ozobi was arrested in Anambra State alongside an accomplice and transferred to the Ebonyi State Command in Abakaliki for investigation.
The arrest followed a social media publication in which Ozobi alleged that the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police ordered the collection of ₦700,000 from each of six families, amounting to ₦4.2 million, for the release of their sons.
The allegation, which circulated online earlier this month, was connected to the arrest of the six persons reportedly over a land dispute. Ozobi had alleged that their arrest followed the intervention of a traditional ruler in the state.
However, the Ebonyi Police Command had rejected the allegation, describing it as “false, unfounded, and without basis.” The Command also said the photograph used alongside the allegation was that of a former, long-retired Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, rather than the current commissioner.
In a fresh statement issued on Friday and signed by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, the police confirmed that Ozobi had been arrested and brought to Ebonyi for investigation.
“The Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, has arrested one Mr. Justice Ozobi and his accomplice over allegations made against the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, concerning the alleged collection of ₦700,000 each from six different families for the release of their sons,” the statement said.
The Command said the use of the former Commissioner’s photograph in Ozobi’s post had also subjected the retired officer to “unwarranted public ridicule and embarrassment.”
According to the police, Ozobi was arrested in Anambra State and subsequently transferred to the Ebonyi State Command, where investigations are ongoing.
“The Command will provide further updates as the investigation progresses,” the statement added.
The police said it recognised the right of citizens to express their views and raise concerns about policing, but warned against what it described as deliberate dissemination of false or defamatory information.
“The Command reiterates that citizens have the right to express their views, raise genuine concerns, and make constructive observations aimed at improving policing within the state,” the statement said.
“However, while the Command respects the right to freedom of expression, it will not tolerate the deliberate dissemination of false, malicious or defamatory information calculated to tarnish the image of the Command and the Force at large.”
The Command also urged members of the public to verify information before sharing it and to direct genuine complaints through the appropriate authorities.