Imo Police Deny Torture Allegation, Say Suspected IPOB Sponsor Died of Illness

The Imo State Police Command has refuted claims that a suspected sponsor of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) died in custody as a result of torture.

The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Magnus Ejiogu, popularly known as Emu, was said to have died on October 23, 2025, while in detention.

Ejiogu, a native of Obudi Agwa community in Oguta Local Government Area, had been under investigation for multiple killings linked to IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

According to the police, Ejiogu’s case had been fully investigated and approved for prosecution on October 20, 2025, before he reportedly fell ill three days later. 

He was initially treated at the Police Clinic in Amakohia, Owerri, and later transferred to the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH) Owerri, where he died.

In a statement released on November 2, 2025, the Police Command emphasized that the death was not caused by torture, but by an undisclosed illness. 

The Command also revealed that an autopsy would be conducted to determine the actual cause of death, while the Homicide Section of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

However, reports from the deceased’s family and some civil society groups tell a different story. 

They alleged that Ejiogu was arrested on September 23, 2025, detained without access to his relatives or legal representation, and tortured to death in custody. 

The allegations have since raised concerns about the treatment of suspects and custodial deaths in the state.

The controversy has stirred public debate in Imo and across the Southeast over the handling of politically sensitive cases and the protection of detainee rights by security agencies.

As the police proceed with investigations and the autopsy report is awaited, residents of Obudi Agwa and human rights observers are calling for transparency and accountability in the matter to ensure justice is served.