RULAAC demands probe into the missing Anambra Vigilante operative for two years

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By Madu Obi

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a nongovernmental organization, NGO, has called for an urgent, independent and transparent investigation into the alleged disappearance of Mr. Ekenne Valentine, a member of the Anambra State Vigilante Group (AVG), during an official security operation in August 2024.

The Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, described the continued uncertainty surrounding the fate of Ekenne for nearly two years as "deeply disturbing" and symptomatic of the weak accountability mechanisms governing security operations involving state-supported security outfits.

According to Nwanguma, despite repeated complaints by Ekenne Valentine's father, Chief Benjamin Nwosuagwu, to the leadership of the Anambra State Vigilante Group, the Anambra State Police Command and the National Human Rights Commission, no credible explanation has been provided regarding the circumstances of his disappearance, nor has any conclusive investigative outcome been communicated to the family.

Ekenne Valentine, who served with the Ukpor Unit, Nnewi South local government area of the Anambra State Vigilante Group for about three years, was last heard from on 9 August 2024.

Three days after his disappearance, his father was informed that his son had failed to return from a security operation in which other members of the vigilante team reportedly returned safely.

Nwosuagwu subsequently travelled repeatedly from Imo State to Anambra State in search of his son, visiting the offices of the Vigilante Group in Onitsha, Awka and Ukpor, without any clue on the whereabouts of his son.

Although he later petitioned the Anambra State Police Command, the investigation has not produced any publicly known outcome.

Lamenting the situation, the Executive Director of RULAAC, Nwanguma, said: "No family should be left to endure years of uncertainty over the disappearance of a loved one without answers from those who had responsibility for his deployment and safety.

"The disappearance of a person during an official security operation imposes a clear duty on the relevant authorities to establish the facts, account for the missing person, and keep the family informed.

"The prolonged failure to establish the whereabouts of Ekenne Valentine raises serious concerns about operational accountability, command responsibility and the effectiveness of the investigation conducted so far.

"Everyday that passes without meaningful progress deepens the suffering of the family and weakens public confidence in our security institutions."

He called for a close supervision of the investigation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), or another competent investigative unit.

"The rule of law demands that no person disappears during an official security operation without a full accounting. Justice demands truth. The family deserves answers, and the public deserves the assurance that security institutions are accountable for those who serve under their command," Nwanguma added.