By Goodness Ndukuba, Awka on September 24, 2025

Ikechukwu Igbokwe, a lawyer and football administrator in Anambra state has urged the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu to investigate his alleged illegal arrest and detention at the Central Police Station between Sept. 2 and Sept. 5.

Igbokwe, 61 made the call at a news conference in Awka on Tuesday.

He said he was abducted in the street of Awka by gun wielding plain clothed men and taken to X-Squad Department of the Police Command in Awka on the petition of Chikelue Iloenyosi, Chairman of Anambra Football Association.

The FA Chairman had petitioned the police against Igbokwe alleging ‘continuous cyber bullying, defamation, and criminal misrepresentation’.

The petition which was written on his behalf by Supra Legal Chambers and dated Aug. 6, 2025 was entitled “Petition Against Mr Leonard Iyke Igbokwe For Cyber Bullying, Defamation, and False Claim Of Legal Practice”.

Chikelue in the copy of the petition sighted alleged that Igbokwe falsely paraded himself as a lawyer without ever attending the Nigerian Law School or being called to the Bar and published and circulated malicious content against him in the social media.

He said Igbokwe alleged that administered football in Anambra solely for three against NFF Statutes which provided for an Association Board among others.

But narrating his ordeal, Igbokwe said he was unlawfully and unjustifiably detained for three days at CPS, Awka by the X-Squad Department.

Igbokwe said Chikelue's claim was laughable as he held a 2nd Class Honours, Upper Division in 1992 set of Nigeria Law School and certified by National Council of Legal Studies.

He said there was no bullying in what he wrote, as the Anambra FA Chairman was running a 9-member board all alone and managing its finances without board and General Assembly approvals.

“For three years, the Anambra FA has been sole administrator and when you challenge him, he will tell you that his wife is a senior Police officer.

“I wrote my observations on the Anambra FA in my online football and ethical columns, Sliding Tackles, where we have published 230 articles in one year and six months without complaints.

“Next thing was that he constituted an unqualified and illegal disciplinary committee headed by a non-lawyer in contravention of Article 65 of Nigeria Football Federation and singlehandedly banned me for five years.

“The Chairman who is not a member of his illegal committee signed the decision of the committee, which is an anomaly, because as a the vice chairman and later chairman of NFF disciplinary committee between 2010 and 2014 I know the rules, 

“Despite all this, Chikelue arranged my illegal abduction in the street of Awka on Sept. 2, they did not give me any invitation that I did not honour or warrant by any court of law, I was actually kidnapped but God saved me.

“When we got to the XSquad, they said the CP wanted to see me but up till now I have not seen the CP, that was how a lawyer of 33 years was thrown into a cell for three days.

“I am addressing the media on this today so that the world will know the level of impunity that is reigning in the Anambra FA. I have written a petition to the governor on the illegality and lawlessness of the FA Chairman

“Chikelue has refused to allow others for elected members to function, he has refused to conduct a by-election into the four vacant member seats which include those for Anambra South Senatorial District, my area and that of Gov. Soludo.

“He unilaterally dissolved Local Football Councils that were elected alongside him on the same date and venue with the tenure 

“So tell me, how does Anambra football function under this type of emperorship,” he said.

When contacted, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) said he was not aware of the arrest or detention.

“I am not aware of this, let me find out and get back to you,” he said.

Igbokwe said the matter had been changed to court and that he was due for arraignment on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted September 24, 2025

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