The family of Chika Chukwu Onwe is requesting the release of his remains from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) mortuary, six years after his alleged death in police custody. Chika, 28, was arrested on December 1, 2019, by the Anti-Cult Police Division in connection with a cult clash in Enugu State. His parents, Mr and Mrs Anayo Ume, claim he died from torture while in police custody in January 2020.
According to court documents, Inspector Jude Ogbu, one of the police officers who handled the case, stated that Chika's body had been deposited at the UNTH mortuary. The family has filed a petition with the UNTH Management Board, requesting the release of Chika's remains and information on the identities of all bodies deposited at the hospital's mortuary by the police between December 1, 2019, and January 5, 2020.
The petition, dated September 14, 2026, was filed pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, and the family has undertaken to pay any reasonable amount required for the documents. The family is also seeking the discipline, dismissal, and prosecution of the police officers allegedly involved in Chika's death. This follows a judgment by the Enugu State High Court, which found two police officers liable for violating Chika's fundamental right to life.
In May 2024, Justice C.O. Ajah delivered a judgment awarding N20 million in costs jointly against the Commissioner of Police, Inspector Jude Ogbu, and DSP Chidobe Ekeleme, over the unlawful killing of Chika while he was in their custody without trial and due process. The family has been waiting for six years for closure, and the release of Chika's remains is crucial for them to finally bury him.
The case has been ongoing since 2023, when Chika's parents filed a fundamental rights suit against the Enugu State Government, the Commissioner of Police, and officers of the Anti-Cult Police Division. The suit, numbered E/703/2023, seeks justice for Chika's alleged unlawful killing. The family's lawyer, Chukwunonso Ogbe, has been representing them in the matter.
Human rights organizations have expressed concern over the case, highlighting the need for police accountability and the protection of citizens' rights. The Police Service Commission has been petitioned to take disciplinary action against the officers involved. The case has raised questions about the treatment of suspects in police custody and the need for reforms in the Nigerian police force.
The family hopes that the release of Chika's remains will bring them closure and that justice will be served. The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) has been urged to cooperate with the family and provide the necessary documents. The case is ongoing, and the family is seeking a resolution to the ordeal they have endured for six years.
Key points
- The Nigerian family of Chika Chukwu Onwe seeks the release of his remains from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital mortuary.
- Chika allegedly died in police custody in January 2020 due to torture.
- The family has petitioned the Police Service Commission for disciplinary action against the officers involved.
