The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested the Eze of Ajao estate in Lagos, Fredrick Nwajagu over an inciting statement he made in a viral video.
In the video that surfaced on the internet on Friday, Nwajagu, who was dressed in his royal and traditional regalia, could be heard saying Igbo indigenes in Lagos must recruit members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for the safety of their properties.
“IPOB, we will invite them. They have no job. All of the IPOB will protect all of our shops. And we have to pay them. We have to mobilize for that. We have to do that,” he had said.
“We must have our security so that they will stop attacking us at midnight, in the morning, and in the afternoon. When they discover that we have our security before they come, they will know that we have our men there. I am not saying a single word to be hidden. I am not hiding my words; let my words go viral. Igbo must get their rights and get standing in Lagos state.”
Lagos state police command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed Nwajagu’s arrest on Saturday.
Hundeyin did not give details of the security agency that arrested him or how and when he was arrested.
Meanwhile, a source in the police who preferred anonymity told The PUNCH that the Igbo leader was arrested on Saturday morning by a joint team of policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services.
“A team of police and DSS went to his palace but he had already fled. He was later traced to a hotel in Ejigbo where he was arrested,” the source said.