Rita Odafe
Pregnant housewife Jennifer Johnson from Mbano, Imo State, has alleged that local vigilantes killed her five-year-old son. Her husband, Bright Johnson, is a traditional healer.
According to her, the vigilantes were led by Amaze Chibuke, also known as Jaguar, who is the community youth president.
In a formal complaint to the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police, Mrs. Johnson claims that Chibuke ordered the shooting of her husband’s brother and her husband’s arrest for undisclosed reasons.
She stated that Chibuke had been in a land dispute with her husband and accused him of leading a violent raid on their home with armed associates.
Mrs. Johnson recounted, “My husband was shot in the leg and has been missing for four days. My son was also shot and died.”
Amid her distress, she mentioned that Chibuke alleged her husband was being held at a DSS facility after pressure from relatives revealed his location.
She urged authorities to intervene, expressing concern for her husband’s welfare and demanding justice for her son’s death, emphasizing, “My husband is innocent, and this is all about a family land dispute.”
Mrs. Johnson described an event on November 9, 2024, when she was confronted by armed men, who tried to abduct her and her son but ultimately released them after a brief struggle.
Following this, her husband went to the police to report the incident, hoping to prevent mob justice against the man they had encountered. However, police were hesitant due to the late hour.
Days later, community youths accused her husband of involvement in her kidnapping and the abduction of a local priest, claims she found shocking and baseless.
She suspects these accusations were engineered by Chibuke, who allegedly had a private detention facility where her husband’s name was implicated under duress.
Attempts to engage a lawyer were met with corruption, as the lawyer sought a larger sum for help and was compromised by Chibuke’s influence. When her husband was declared wanted, law enforcement intervened only briefly before releasing Chibuke due to pressure from influential figures.
On December 26, 2024, Chibuke and armed men attempted to arrest her husband again, leading to violence where her son was fatally shot and her husband and brother-in-law were wounded.
Responding to the scene, Mrs. Johnson’s father-in-law confronted Chibuke, who responded with indifference to their loss. The family has since sought information from the DSS with no success, leaving them unsure of her husband’s whereabouts.
She pleaded with authorities, urging immediate intervention, as she fears for her husband’s life after the tragic loss of her child.
Inquiries made by SaharaReporters to Chibuke were met with silence; he terminated the call without comment.
ASP Henry Okoye of the state police stated he was unaware of the situation but promised to investigate the matter thoroughly, insisting it would not be ignored and that justice would be pursued if the claims were verified.
“This is a serious matter that must be addressed, and I assure you that the police will follow up on it,” he affirmed.
