Six years after their son allegedly died while in police custody, the family of Chika Chukwu Onwe is still seeking his remains for burial.
Chika, who was 28 at the time, was arrested on December 1, 2019, by operatives of the Anti-Cult Police Division in Enugu State over an alleged cult clash in Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area.
According to the family, he allegedly died from torture while in police custody in January 2020.
The family’s search for answers took another turn after an affidavit filed in an Enugu State High Court case revealed that Chika’s body had reportedly been deposited at the mortuary of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla.
In a petition dated September 14, 2026, the family, through their lawyer, Chukwunonso Ogbe, asked the UNTH Management Board to release Chika’s remains so they can give him a proper burial.
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They also requested information on bodies allegedly deposited at the hospital’s mortuary by the police between December 1, 2019, and January 5, 2020, including the identities of the police officers who deposited them.
The family has also petitioned the Police Service Commission, requesting disciplinary and legal action against officers allegedly connected to the circumstances surrounding Chika’s death.
The development follows a May 2024 judgment by the Enugu State High Court, which held Inspector Jude Ogbu and DSP Chidobe Ekeleme liable for violating Chika’s fundamental right to life. The court awarded N20 million in costs against the Commissioner of Police, Ogbu and Ekeleme.
The family is now seeking the release of Chika’s remains, six years after his alleged death, in a bid to finally lay him to rest.
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