Tension flared across Enugu, the state capital, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, as hundreds of aggrieved youths took to the streets and marched toward the State Government House to protest the alleged extrajudicial killing of popular socialite Izuchukwu Nnaji, widely known as ‘Stone’.
According to statements from the family, operatives from the Enugu State Police Command’s Anti-Cult Tactical Squad stormed Nnaji’s hotel room around 3:00 AM on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and took him into custody.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved family, the victim’s brother, Ogochukwu Nnaji, revealed that after a frantic search, hotel management confirmed that the anti-cult unit had whisked him away during the early morning raid. On Thursday, October 22, the family traced his body to the mortuary at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUT) Parklane Hospital.
”My brother was extrajudicially killed,” Ogochukwu stated during the demonstration. “He was neither a cultist nor an armed robber; he was a well-known celebrity. We are demanding justice.”
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Enugu State Police Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, for an official statement were unsuccessful. As of the time of publication, SP Ndukwe had not responded to phone calls or text messages regarding the incident.
The protest highlights recurring public outrage regarding the tactics of the Anti-Cult Tactical Squad in Enugu.
Demonstrators drew comparisons to an October 2024 incident where an operative attached to the same tactical squad, Inspector Ozonwanji Joseph, fatally shot popular Ogene musician Okezie Chikezie Mba (known as ‘Igbo Jah’).
Following that shooting, former Commissioner of Police Kanayo Uzuegbu consoled the deceased’s family and pledged punitive measures to serve as a deterrent.
Protesters called on Governor Peter Mbah and the Inspector General of Police to intervene immediately, order an independent investigation, and hold the responsible officers accountable.
