Victor Chikadibia: After 14 days in police custody over dispute with Apostle Judah, police hurry him to court without notice
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The police in Imo State have been accused of subjecting a 33-year-old computer programmer and former pastor, Victor Ude Chikadibia, to prolonged detention before abruptly arraigning him in court after the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) questioned the legality of his prolonged custody.
Chikadibia, also known as Victor Ude or Mastertruth, was arrested in Abuja on August 19, 2026, transferred to Imo State and detained at the X-Squad of the State Criminal Investigation Department in Owerri from August 20 until his arraignment on September 3.
His detention arose from a dispute involving his former boss, Apostle Love Judah of Truth Assembly International Churches, Owerri, which bothers on allegations concerning an intimate relationship between Judah and Chikadibia’s wife, Miracle Ude, according to an account provided by Chikadibia’s father, Caleb Ude.
A serving magistrate, Akuna Opara, later got entangled into the dispute when it was alleged that she waded into the case and took side with Apostle Judah against Chikadibia. This later escalated into allegations of cyberbullying and threatening communications against Chikadibia.
The circumstances surrounding Chikadibia’s arrest, detention and eventual arraignment have now raised questions about whether police powers and the criminal justice system were deployed to resolve what began as a private dispute.
According to Caleb Ude, his son spent about nine years serving as a pastor under Apostle Judah before a serious disagreement developed between the two men.
Ude alleged that the disagreement followed his son’s discovery of an intimate relationship between his wife, Miracle, and Apostle Judah. According to the account, Miracle disclosed the alleged relationship to Victor and also informed her father, who subsequently confronted the apostle.
The elder Ude further alleged that Apostle Judah discussed the confrontation with Akuna Opara, described by the family as both a pastor associated with the church and a serving magistrate in the Imo State Judiciary.
Opara allegedly contacted Miracle’s father and warned him against making disparaging statements about Judah. According to the family’s account, she also made derogatory comments about Victor.
Victor subsequently reacted on social media, making several publications concerning the magistrate.
Those publications eventually became the basis of a criminal complaint against him.
Victor, who was living in Abuja with his wife, was arrested there on August 19 and transferred to Imo State.
From August 20, he was held at the X-Squad of the State CID in Owerri. The investigating police officer was identified as Charles.
His father said the family repeatedly sought his release on police bail but was unsuccessful.
Victor remained in police custody for approximately 14 days before he was brought before a court on September 3.
The prolonged detention became a particular concern after the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) intervened.
The organisation’s Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma contacted the police officer handling the case and sought an explanation for Victor’s continued detention. It also asked whether the police had a substantially different account of the circumstances from the one presented by Victor’s father.
Nwanguma said the officer merely acknowledged awareness of the case but did not provide a substantive explanation for the prolonged detention or explain the legal basis for keeping Victor in custody.
Shortly after the intervention, Victor’s father said the police officer contacted him and informed him that the police were taking his son to court.
The family was not given sufficient notice to arrange legal representation, according to the account.
Ude therefore urgently contacted RULAAC for assistance, and the organisation referred him to lawyer Chinedu Agu.
Agu proceeded to court, but by the time he arrived, Victor had already taken his plea.
The lawyer nevertheless participated in the proceedings and applied for bail after the prosecution sought an order remanding Victor in correctional custody.
Victor was arraigned on September 3 before the Magistrate Court in the Owerri Magisterial District in a five-count charge brought by the Commissioner of Police, Imo State.
The charge, identified as Charge No. OW/1418__/C/2026, was brought under Section 24(2)(a) and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.
The counts principally relate to alleged threatening communications and social media publications concerning Magistrate Akuna Opara.
His lawyer, Chinedu Agu, subsequently applied for bail. The presiding magistrate, A. Ariche, however, declined to grant bail, holding that the Magistrate Court lacked jurisdiction to grant bail in respect of an offence considered triable only by the Federal High Court.
RULAAC said the most troubling aspect of the case is the timing of the arraignment.
Victor had spent nearly two weeks in police custody despite efforts by his family to secure his release. The police officer handling the matter did not provide RULAAC with a substantive explanation when the organisation questioned the detention.
Almost immediately afterwards, the family was told that Victor was being taken to court.
The abrupt development left the family scrambling to secure legal representation. Although counsel eventually appeared, Victor had already entered his plea by the time his lawyer arrived.
The sequence has prompted concerns that the police may have hurried to arraign Victor only after their handling of his prolonged detention came under scrutiny.
