In a heartbreaking turn of events, Mrs. Chioma Chikadibia succumbed to depression on August 8, 2025, following months of anguish over the ongoing detention of her husband and three daughters by the Abia State Police Command. Her daughter, Chikiezie Ifeoma Lilian, confirmed the devastating news on Wednesday morning.
Mrs. Chikadibia’s family has been embroiled in a harrowing ordeal since April 12, 2025, when armed men from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit raided their home in Alaukwu Village. Eyewitnesses reported that officers, some in plain clothes, forcibly entered the residence, seizing valuables and arresting the family without a warrant.
Despite growing public outcry and evidence of their detention, police initially denied holding the family. They were later discovered to have been secretly arraigned and remanded at the Aba Correctional Centre, with no notification to relatives or provision for legal representation.
In May, Mrs. Chikadibia spoke exclusively to SaharaReporters, revealing her husband’s deteriorating health and the devastating impact on her family’s lives. “Life has not been easy on me coupled with my ill health,” she lamented, highlighting the disruption of her children’s education and businesses due to the police action.
Her declining health, exacerbated by the stress of her family’s situation, ultimately led to her tragic death. Relatives noted that the lack of intervention from authorities only deepened her despair.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) condemned the family’s arrests as a severe abuse of police power. Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma called for an investigation and the immediate release of the detainees, emphasizing the grave implications of police impunity.
As the community mourns the loss of Mrs. Chikadibia, the plight of her family continues to raise urgent questions about justice and accountability within the Nigerian police system.
