08/05/2025
I Was Badly Beaten, My Hair was Shaved, and N500000 was Collected for My Release. Hujionye Accuses Operation Delta Hawk in Ika Nation
Ika Weekly Newspaper
The Operation Delta Hawk/Delta Sweep Joint Security team in Ika Nation has been accused of neglecting their duty to protect lives and instead harassing innocent civilians for money.
Mr Moses Hujionye, a victim and resident of Ute-Okpu in the Ika North East Local Government Area, recounted his distressing encounter with the Operation Delta Hawk team on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025. Seeking justice, he approached the Boji-Boji Owa office of the National Chairman of the Human Rights Restoration Movement, Chief Barrister. Ifeanyi Williams Aghaulor.
Mr. Hujionye recounted, saying, “On that day, at around 6:45 PM, I received a call from my relative, Ugochukwu Joseph, who had returned from abroad. He was being held hostage by an unidentified group claiming to be security personnel for resisting arrest without any valid reason along Charles Street in Agbor, Ika South LGA. After this call, I rushed to help him, only to discover that the captors were members of Operation Delta Hawk. Four of the officers were in civilian clothes, while the only one in military uniform did not have a name tag for identification. They were all armed.
“When I attempted to intervene, one of the officers accused me of being a cultist, claiming they were waiting to arrest me. Despite my efforts to negotiate peacefully, I then reminded them of the need to be more forceful in apprehending kidnappers terrorizing our community instead of targeting innocent citizens.
“I was handcuffed, hit with tear gas, and forced into their patrol van. They then took me to their residential quarter along Deeper Life Street, where I endured severe beatings that lasted until 10 PM. My hair was shaved, and they collected five hundred thousand naira (N5000000) for my release, threatening to kill me if I did not comply and assuring me that no one would come to my aid. My shaved hair and my brother's vehicle documents are still in their possession after my release, as they refused to return them.”
Echoing Mr Hujionye's experience, Mr Ugochukwu Joseph expressed his pain, stating that he had only called his brother for assistance, unaware that it would provoke a violent reaction from the officers.
Chief Barrister Aghaulor condemned the inhumane behaviour of the Operation Delta Hawk officers in Ika Nation. He noted that the Delta State Commissioner of Police had ignored his previous petitions regarding the misconduct of these officers.
Addressing the injustice inflicted by Operation Delta Hawk, Chief Aghaulor issued a fourteen-day ultimatum for the Commissioner of Police to withdraw the officers from Ika Nation. He warned of serious protests if they failed to act, emphasizing that the community would take measures to ensure their safety and peace of mind.
At the time of this report, the accused officers were in custody as investigations were ongoing.
By Patrick Gbuchanye