Mrs. Uju Ezeobi, a victim in a multi-million-naira land scam linked to Mrs. Nkiruka Duru, has tragically died in custody at the Nigeria Police Zonal Headquarters (Zone 13) in Ukpo, Anambra State, under suspicious circumstances.
Her passing occurred shortly after her legal team, led by Okolo Ejike Esq, lodged a formal complaint with Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, regarding the mistreatment she faced.
The complaint outlined how certain officers, notably SP Utazi, appeared to be acting in collusion with Duru and her associates, allegedly attempting to intimidate and unjustly detain Mrs. Ezeobi.
A source revealed, “She is dead, having complained against a suspect, Mrs. Nkiruka Duru, who is currently being tried for a significant land scam. Duru seems to have manipulated the police into facilitating the death of Mrs. Uju Ezeobi at Zone 13.”
The origins of this case trace back to 2021, when Mrs. Duru, who presides over the United Business Women Association, reportedly enticed investors into buying land in Achala. She claimed that her organization had access to prime plots for sale at attractive prices.
Trusting her reputation, Mrs. Ezeobi helped facilitate these transactions, leading to investments exceeding N200 million. However, instead of delivering on her promises, Duru allegedly misappropriated the funds for her personal benefit, leaving many investors defrauded.
After numerous attempts to resolve the issue amicably failed, the late Mrs. Ezeobi escalated the matter to the Inspector General of Police. It was then taken over by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) in Abuja, with formal charges later laid against Duru.
Despite the case making its way to court, recent reports indicate that Duru and her associates have attempted to interfere with the judicial process. A shake-up in the police force led to the reassignment of the officers initially in charge of the case. Duru allegedly capitalized on her wealth and influence to redirect the investigation to Zone 13, where she could exert control.
On March 24, 2025, Mrs. Ezeobi was reportedly taken into custody in Asaba by SP Utazi and his team in an operation characterized as "commando-style," executed without prior warning or summons. She spent the night in police custody at Zone 13, an action deemed unlawful by her lawyers.
Disturbingly, images and videos documenting her detention circulated across social media channels linked to Duru. Instead of carrying out a fair investigation, the officers at Zone 13 appeared to allow Duru to dictate the proceedings, openly violating an explicit directive (SIGNAL CB;4001/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.12/48 DTO;211340/11/2024) from the Inspector General of Police, which prohibits interference in cases already under the jurisdiction of another police formation.
The legal team representing the complainant claims that there is a deliberate attempt to keep the late Ezeobi in custody indefinitely by bringing forth unfounded charges against her.
“Our Client, Mrs. Uju Ezeobi, has sought our professional services, and we are writing this petition at her instruction,” stated a petition authored by the late lawyer just days before her passing.
“We have been consulted and our professional services retained by Mrs. Uju Ezeobi, hereinafter referred to as 'Our Client,' on whose instruction we write this petition,” a petition by the deceased lawyer days before her death had read.
“Sir, permit us to provide you with a brief historical background of the facts that led to this petition. One Mrs. Nkiruka Duru (the suspect in this case before the DIG FCIID) is the president of the United Business Women Association, a non-governmental platform that she owns and manages herself.
“It is our instruction that sometime around 2021, the said Nkiruka Duru contacted our client, claiming that her foundation was offering good virgin flat land in Achala for sale. Our client was advised to use her influence to help the foundation find buyers and subscribers for the land, which Duru assured would be sold and delivered without any issues at a fair price.
“Our client enthusiastically accepted the task and successfully attracted a large number of subscribers who, through her, purchased land under the Association's name. A total of 2,000 plots of land were budgeted for, and over 200 million naira was contributed and paid through the Association’s account, with the exclusive intent of securing the land. However, Nkiruka Duru allegedly absconded with the funds and diverted the money to buy clothes instead of purchasing the land.
“Efforts to resolve the matter amicably proved abortive, prompting our client to petition the Inspector General of Police, who transferred the case to the office of the DIG FCIID Abuja for investigation.
“The office of the DIG FCIID launched an investigation, and the parties were invited for an interview, which they all attended. The matter was subsequently charged to court. However, to derail the already concluded investigation, and following a shake-up in the police system that led to the transfer of some officers handling the case at the office of the DIG FCIID, Mrs. Nkiruka Duru and her criminal group reportedly sought refuge at the Nigeria Police Zonal Headquarters (Zone 13), Ukpo. There, they allegedly hoped to influence the case and file false and malicious complaints against our client over the same incident already investigated by the office of the DIG FCIID in Abuja.
“On Saturday, the 24th of March, 2025, while our client was in Asaba, she was arrested in a commando-style operation by SP Utazi and his team, operatives attached to the Nigeria Police Zonal Headquarters (Zone 13), Ukpo. “This arrest was carried out without any formal invitation to appear at Zone 13 and was a desperate attempt to sabotage the concluded investigation by the office of the DIG FCIID and humiliate our client. A video of the arrest was posted on the internet and WhatsApp platforms allegedly operated by Nkiruka Duru.
“At the Nigeria Police Zonal Headquarters (Zone 13), Ukpo, on Sunday, the 25th of March, 2025, the suspects, Mrs. Nkiruka Duru and her criminal group, allegedly used their influence and financial resources, in collaboration with SP Utazi and his team, to ensure that our client—who was the complainant at the office of the DIG FCIID Abuja—spent the night in police custody. As of now, she has yet to be granted bail.
“Shockingly, the police allowed the said Nkiruka Duru to take pictures and record videos of our client while in police custody. These were subsequently posted on the internet and social media platforms, mocking and ridiculing our client."
The legal representatives of the deceased have urged the office to instruct SP Utazi and his team to promptly return the case file to the DIG FCIID for appropriate prosecution, as detailed in the attached charge sheet.
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