Repeated arrests, no answers: The police owe the public an explanation
By Okechukwu Nwanguma
The report that Mr. Igbokwe Prince Matthew Onyekaozuru, the impeached former Vice Chairman of Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, has again been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command over allegations of vehicle theft and vandalism is deeply troubling.
If the latest information is confirmed, this would be yet another encounter with the police over allegations of substantially similar criminal conduct, coming only about four months after his previous reported arrest by the same Lagos State Police Command.
Equally troubling is the silence of the Lagos State Police authorities despite repeated inquiries seeking to verify the latest reported arrest and detention.
Information reaching the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) indicates that Onyekaozuru was arrested on Monday, August 31, 2026, following an incident reportedly occurring between Saturday night and Sunday morning at a residence in Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos. We are informed that he was subsequently taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba.
Accompanying the information received by RULAAC is CCTV footage which reportedly captures the suspect during the incident at the premises. The existence of such footage makes it even more important that the police clarify whether an arrest was made, what offence is being investigated and the status of the investigation.
But this latest report cannot be viewed in isolation.
This would reportedly be the third time that the same individual, who until recently occupied an important political office, has been arrested or implicated over allegations of similar criminal conduct.
An earlier publicly reported case occurred in Imo State, where a video emerged showing him being interrogated by the police. Then, sometime around April/May 2026, he was reportedly arrested by the Lagos State Police Command over allegations involving vehicle theft and vandalism.
The controversy surrounding his alleged serial involvement in criminal activities, along with reported absenteeism from official duties, became part of the circumstances surrounding his suspension and subsequent impeachment by the legislative chamber of Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area.
Yet fundamental questions about the previous police cases remain unanswered.
What happened to the previous investigations?
How far did the Lagos State Police Command investigate the allegations following his earlier arrest? What evidence was obtained? How and under what circumstances was he released?
If there was evidence sufficient to sustain criminal charges, was he charged before a court? If not, why not? If the investigation established that the allegations were unfounded or that the available evidence was insufficient for prosecution, the public should equally be told.
An arrest is not a conviction, and repeated allegations do not establish guilt. Every suspect is entitled to the presumption of innocence and to due process.
But that principle cannot become an excuse for institutional silence.
When the same politically exposed individual is repeatedly arrested over allegations of similar offences and repeatedly returns to society without any publicly known prosecutorial outcome, legitimate questions arise about how the criminal justice system is functioning.
Was each previous case properly investigated? Were investigation files forwarded for legal advice? Were complainants and witnesses interviewed? Was available physical, documentary or electronic evidence preserved and examined? Did investigators recommend prosecution? Was anyone responsible for terminating or frustrating the investigations? Was there a political intervention?
These are legitimate questions, not conclusions.
There is another uncomfortable question: How did a person repeatedly implicated in serious criminal allegations emerge as the Vice Chairman of a Local Government Area?
What does this say about political recruitment at the grassroots?
Political parties are not merely vehicles for winning elections. They are important gatekeepers to public office. When their processes for selecting candidates fail to interrogate character, antecedents and suitability for public responsibility, the consequences are eventually borne by the public.
But the more immediate responsibility in this case rests with the Nigeria Police.
The Lagos State Police Command should break its silence.
RULAAC has made inquiries seeking confirmation of the latest reported arrest and detention. Those inquiries have yet to yield an official clarification. This silence is difficult to understand, particularly where reports of an arrest are already circulating publicly and purported CCTV footage relating to the alleged incident is available.
The police do not need to disclose evidence in a manner that could compromise an ongoing investigation. But confirming whether a person is in custody, the broad nature of the allegations being investigated and the status of previous publicly reported cases should not ordinarily compromise an investigation.
Indeed, transparency is particularly important here because the unanswered questions extend beyond the latest allegation.
This is about confidence in the administration of criminal justice.
The public must not be left with the impression that politically connected persons can be repeatedly arrested for serious alleged offences, disappear from the criminal justice process without explanation and return months later in connection with similar allegations.
Neither should anyone be subjected to endless cycles of arrest without prosecution where the police lack sufficient evidence to bring charges.
Both possibilities undermine the rule of law.
If there is evidence, prosecute. If there is insufficient evidence, say so and conclude the investigation according to law. What is unacceptable is an unexplained revolving door of arrest, release, re-arrest and silence.
The Inspector-General of Police should therefore take an interest in this matter and ensure an impartial review not only of the latest allegations but also of the previous investigations involving Mr. Onyekaozuru.
The review should establish what allegations were made, what evidence was gathered, what recommendations investigators made, whether prosecution was contemplated or initiated, how each case ended and whether there was any improper interference.
The purpose is not to prejudge Mr. Onyekaozuru. His guilt or innocence can only be determined through the lawful criminal justice process.
The issue is whether that process has been allowed to work.
If a man can be repeatedly arrested over allegations of similar serious crimes without any clear explanation of how the previous cases ended, the question is no longer only about the suspect.
It becomes a question about the institutions responsible for investigating him.
The Nigeria Police Force – and particularly the Lagos State Police Command – owes the public answers.
Okechukwu Nwanguma is Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC).
