Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu, has regained freedom from the detention of the Nigerian Army for wearing a garb with attributes of the Biafran flag’s rising sun.
The comic actor was arrested in Onitsha and taken to Enugu where he was kept overnight.
The president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, had intervened in the case by sending a delegation to negotiate the actor’s release.
A statement by Monalisa Chinda, the director of communications of the Guild, says: “The National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ejezie Emeka Rollas has secured the release of Actor Chiwetalu Agu from the custody of the Nigerian Army. The Senior Special Assistant on Military Affairs and Inter-Governmental Relations to President Steve Eboh who confirmed the release from the Army Barracks in Enugu thanked the High Command of the Nigerian Army for their cooperation and understanding in the matter.
“The National President also commended the efforts of the leadership of the pan Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo for their collaborative efforts on the matter.”
Agu, 67, was forcefully arrested by soldiers in Onitsha for wearing an attire they considered illegal. Nigerian law does not forbid the wearing of attire with such colour mix nor any with a rising sun.
Agu also told the soldiers that attire was a civilian outfit and not a Biafran flag.