He was arrested in what appeared like an abduction on Saturday night at Ochez Suites, Works Layout, Owerri, Imo State capital shortly after he was declared the winner of the OYC presidential election at the Council’s national convention.

Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Igboayaka Igboayaka.

Igboayaka is the National President of the Ohanaeze youth Council (OYC), who was arrested in Owerri, Imo State capital on Saturday by the operatives of the Ebonyi State Police Command on the orders of the Governor Francis Nwidfuru-led Ebonyi State government.

He was arrested in what appeared like an abduction on Saturday night at Ochez Suites, Works Layout, Owerri, Imo State capital shortly after he was declared the winner of the OYC presidential election at the Council’s national convention.

The Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Joshua Ukandu, while confirming his detention in a statement issued on Monday in Abakaliki, said Igboayaka was arrested, following a petition submitted to the Commissioner of Police in the state.

The police spokesperson had said that the petitioner whose identity he did not disclose, accused Igboayaka of spreading false information capable of truncating peace and destabilising communities in the state. 

But the Ohanaeze Youth Council alleged that Igboayaka is being detained over a statement he issued after the deadly herdsmen attacks on Amegu village, Nkalaha community in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.

Igboayaka had in the statement claimed that OYC’s Directorate of Intelligence had raised the alarm and warned Governor Nwifuru about the potential attack four days prior to the violent incident by suspected herdsmen in Amegu Nkalaha community.

0n Tuesday morning, OYC in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Chinedu Ikem, OYC said that its intelligence unit has uncovered a sinister plot by the Ebonyi State government to secretly try and jail Igboayaka.

The OYC alleged that the Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi State, Hon. Jude Chikadibia Okpor, has been instrumental in the alleged plot.

According to the Council, Okpor is working closely with the Commissioner of Police to concoct allegations against Igboayaka.

Reacting to the issue, Ejimakor demanded Igboayaka’s immediate release and called the people and leaders of South-East Nigeria to intervene in the matter.

He said, “I hereby demand the immediate release of Igboayaka Igboayaka (President of Ohaneze Youths) who was on 8th February 2025 arrested under questionable circumstances in Owerri & taken to Ebonyi, reportedly on the orders of Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru. 

“Ndigbo should intervene.”