Activist reacts as police detain wife over husband’s debt on Mother’s Day

A human rights activist, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has accused the Nigeria Police of overstepping its authority by getting involved in debt recovery at the request of a husband. The dramatic incident took place at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Mother’s Day, March 28, 2025, and has caused uproar within the police force.

Ejiofor, who represents the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), condemned the use of police officers to settle a private financial dispute between Mrs. Joy Smart Chinenye and her husband, George Obinna Smart Unaegbu. The incident unfolded when police officers, acting on a petition from the husband, arrested, brutalized, and detained Mrs. Chinenye for an alleged unpaid debt related to forex trading.

According to Ejiofor, the Nigeria Police Act makes it clear that the police cannot serve as a debt recovery agency. Several court cases, including Kure v Commissioner of Police (2020) and Madaki & ANOR v GTB & ANOR (2022), have further reinforced this legal stance.

On the day meant to celebrate motherhood, Mrs. Chinenye was arrested in front of her children at her home in Lagos. She was then taken to the FCID Annex in Panti, where officers coerced her into transferring ₦5 million to her husband’s account. When she failed to pay an additional ₦10 million, she was moved to Abuja and detained at the notorious Abattoir facility, used for hardened criminals. Meanwhile, her husband relocated their children and took possession of her personal belongings.

Ejiofor called the police’s actions a blatant violation of clear directives from the Nigeria Police Service Commission (NPSC), which prohibits officers from engaging in debt recovery, land disputes, and arrests by proxy. He called for the immediate release of Mrs. Chinenye, a full investigation into the officers involved, and disciplinary measures to prevent future abuses.

The case has drawn widespread condemnation, with calls to prevent the police from becoming a tool for settling personal financial disputes, especially on a day meant to honor mothers. Ejiofor stressed that such actions undermine the rule of law and tarnish the reputation of the Nigeria Police.