A heart-wrenching drama is unfolding in Obolo, Mbano, Imo State, as Mrs. Jennifer Johnson, a pregnant mother, has accused local vigilantes and law enforcement of orchestrating the murder of her five-year-old son and illegally detaining her husband, Bright Johnson. The 33-year-old native doctor has reportedly been held incommunicado for days, leaving his family in distress.
Jennifer’s plea, addressed to the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), alleges a mix of personal vendettas, police inaction, and a miscarriage of justice.
The Genesis: A Land Dispute Turns Deadly
The trouble began when Bright Johnson clashed with the Youths President of the Obolo community, Amaze Chibuke, popularly known as “Jaguar,” over a land dispute. According to Jennifer, Jaguar, alongside armed vigilantes, launched a violent raid on their home, shooting her husband, his brother, and her son.
“Jaguar and his men stormed our house with pump-action guns,” Jennifer recounted tearfully. “They shot my husband in the leg, his younger brother in the back, and my five-year-old son in the head. My baby died instantly.”
A Series of Allegations and Intrigues
Jennifer’s ordeal started weeks earlier when she narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping near the Amanaku Market. She alleged that masked men abducted her and her son, only for community members to misidentify one of her fellow captives as a criminal.
“When I got home, my husband immediately reported the incident to the police,” Jennifer said. “He wanted to prevent mob justice, but the police delayed, citing the lateness of the hour.”
The situation escalated when Jaguar accused Bright of being behind the attempted abduction and implicated him in the kidnapping of a Reverend Father in Owerri.
“We later discovered Jaguar had detained and tortured the man, forcing him to implicate my husband,” she said.
Corruption and Collusion
Jennifer claimed their lawyer, who was initially brought in to defend Bright, later colluded with Jaguar. “The lawyer demanded ₦5 million to ‘settle the matter,’ after collecting ₦1 million already,” she alleged.
Efforts to resolve the matter through the Imo State Police Command yielded no results, as Jaguar allegedly wielded influence to evade justice.
“When the police detained Jaguar for declaring my husband wanted, he secured bail through his powerful connections,” Jennifer revealed.
The Fatal Encounter
On December 26, Jaguar and armed men returned to Jennifer’s house, purportedly to arrest her husband again. The situation spiraled out of control when Jennifer’s pleas to spare her family fell on deaf ears.
“Jaguar ordered his men to open fire,” she said, her voice breaking. “My son was shot dead, my husband was taken away, and we haven’t seen him since.”
Jennifer claimed Jaguar directed them to the DSS office in Owerri to locate her husband, but repeated visits have been futile.
“I don’t know if my husband is alive or dead,” she said. “The DSS has denied us access. I’m begging the authorities to intervene before it’s too late.”
Calls for Accountability
Jennifer is urging the DSS DG and the IGP to investigate the circumstances surrounding her husband’s arrest and her son’s death. She accused Jaguar of operating a private militia under the guise of a vigilante group, using it to settle personal scores.
“My husband is innocent,” she maintained. “This is all because of a land dispute. Jaguar has turned our lives into a nightmare.”
Community Outcry
The incident has sparked outrage in Obolo, with residents demanding accountability. Community leaders have called for Jaguar’s arrest and an impartial investigation into the vigilante group’s activities.
“This is not the first time Jaguar’s group has been accused of excessive force,” said a local elder who spoke anonymously. “But this case is particularly tragic because a child has been killed.”
Legal Perspectives
Legal experts have weighed in on the case, emphasizing the need for due process. “The allegations are grave,” said Barrister Okechukwu Anayo. “If it’s true that the DSS is involved, this is a serious breach of rights.”
He added, “The vigilante system in Nigeria must operate within the law. Arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings cannot be tolerated.”
A Call for Justice
Jennifer’s story is a chilling reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked local vigilantes and the need for stronger oversight of law enforcement agencies.
As she awaits news of her husband’s fate, her plea to the DSS DG and IGP resonates as a cry for justice. “I’ve lost my son. I don’t want to lose my husband too,” she said, her voice filled with despair.
