Human rights lawyer and former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch, Chinedu Agu, has been released on bail after several hours in police custody in Owerri.
Agu was arrested on Friday, 9 October 2026, by operatives of the Imo State Police Command. He was taken to the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) unit and later handed over to the X-Squad. The arrest came a day before a requisitioned extraordinary general meeting of the branch scheduled for Saturday, 10 October.
The meeting was called to address the handling of a N100 million grant given to the Owerri branch by the Imo State Government under Governor Hope Uzodimma. The grant formed part of a total of N350 million distributed to the six NBA branches in the state. Owerri received the largest share, while Orlu, Mbaise, Okigwe, Oru-Oguta and Mbano-Etiti each received N50 million. Officials described the funds as support for lawyers attending the NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt.
Agu has been at the forefront of calls for full accountability on how the Owerri branch spent its allocation. At the branch’s monthly general meeting on 26 September, members raised concerns that a substantial portion of the money, estimated between N70 million and N80 million, had been used for Bar Centre projects including solar installations, air conditioners and chairs without the required approval of the general meeting under the NBA constitution.
Agu later initiated a formal process for the removal of Branch Chairman Dr. Mazi Udegbulem, citing alleged breaches of the Uniform Bye-Law for Branches. A written proposal signed by five financially up-to-date members accused the chairman of misappropriation, reckless fund management and unauthorised expenditure. A separate requisition for an emergency meeting later gathered the support of more than 180 financial members, later reported to have risen higher.
In a statement issued after his release on the night of 9 October, Agu said the petition that led to his invitation came from Godson Killiwe-Nwachukwu, Esq., acting on behalf of Dr. Udegbulem. The petition allegedly accused Agu of impersonation and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. Agu questioned the standing of the petitioner, claiming the stamp affixed to the petition was fake and had expired in March 2020.
He accused the branch chairman of using the police to prevent the emergency meeting from holding so that questions about the N100 million would not be raised. “What is the Chairman of NBA Owerri hiding?” Agu asked. “Why does he not want lawyers to gather tomorrow and ask questions about NBA funds that he allegedly misappropriated?”
Agu thanked senior lawyers, including Dec Madu and Chidi Nworka, who remained with him at the police station until he was granted bail late into the night. He also acknowledged the role of Professor Chidi Odinkalu, who had publicly drawn attention to the detention earlier in the day. Odinkalu had stated that police officers were pressing Agu to drop the requisition or remain in custody through the weekend, describing the action as an unnecessary escalation of the crisis within the branch.
Dr. Udegbulem has previously denied any misappropriation. In a response to an EFCC petition filed by Agu, the chairman categorically rejected claims of diversion or personal use of the funds and invited the anti-graft agency to examine the branch’s accounts from inception. He stated that about N81.9 million had been spent on projects at the Bar Centre, conference logistics, air conditioners, a sound system, chairs, National Health Insurance Scheme enrolment for members and repairs to the branch bus.
The detention of Agu is the latest development in a weeks-long dispute that has tested internal democracy within the Owerri branch. The lawyer has previously criticised the timing of the government grants, linking them to efforts by state authorities to secure letters from branch chairmen supporting the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge for Imo State.
Agu described his experience at the police station as further evidence that conversations about accountability remain difficult. He maintained that the independence of the Bar was under threat when its leaders appeared subservient to the executive arm of government.
As of the time of his release, the status of the Saturday meeting remained unclear.
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