Police Inspector Augustine Odidika is currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Imo State Police Command for his alleged involvement in the killing of George Chinedu Nwosu, a legal practitioner and Secretary of Umuokanumee Village, Mgbidi, in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State.
Also arrested alongside Odidika are Uzoma Odidika, Amajouyi Ireozor, and Jude Odidika, all of whom are accused of terrorizing the community, particularly regarding a long-standing land dispute that has been the subject of litigation.
On January 23, 2025, armed men ambushed and killed Barrister George Chinedu Nwosu while he was driving home. A petition submitted before his death alleged that Inspector Odidika and his associates were using intimidation and violence to assert control over the disputed land, despite multiple court rulings in favor of the community.
The petition also claimed that Odidika, who allegedly boasts of having a “killer squad,” had openly threatened to shoot anyone who opposed him. It cited a specific incident on April 6, 2024, when he was seen trailing Nwosu with a machete, raising concerns about the lawyer’s safety.
Barrister N.C. Ogbonna, Nwosu’s legal representative, had previously urged law enforcement to intervene before the situation escalated. His petition warned of rising tensions in the community and stated:
“The activities of Augustine Odidika and his associates have become unbearable. The community’s youth are agitated, but our clients, being law-abiding citizens, have restrained them from taking the law into their own hands. However, there is a limit to human endurance.”
Tragically, just days after the petition was filed, Nwosu was murdered under suspicious circumstances, sparking outrage and fears that his killing was linked to the threats he had received.
Inspector Augustine Odidika, a member of the Nigeria Police Force’s Strike Force unit, has a controversial past. He was previously implicated in a viral incident where police officers were caught extorting money from citizens using POS machines on the roadside. Despite public outcry, he reportedly escaped disciplinary action.
Additionally, he has been accused of orchestrating various crimes, including an alleged plot to assassinate a local pastor, Theodor Igweagbe, in Ugbele Mgbidi, Imo State, using a vigilante group. Despite these allegations, he remained in service and was last stationed in Nasarawa State.
Although Odidika was expected to resume duty in December 2024 after a casual leave, he allegedly stayed behind to plan and execute Nwosu’s killing.
Community members fear that the investigation could be compromised due to Odidika’s connections within the police force. In response, the leadership of Umuokanumee Village, represented by Elder Sunday Mgbeajuru and others, has called for an independent and thorough investigation into Nwosu’s murder and the alleged criminal activities of Odidika and his associates.
Residents demand justice, urging the authorities to ensure that those responsible for the lawyer’s killing are held accountable.
