The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has praised Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for stepping into a long-running property dispute involving the Onitsha Ozomagana Building Materials Market Association and the Modebe Family, describing the intervention as a crucial step toward restoring peace and protecting business activities.
The dispute, which resurfaced in November 2025 over the ownership of a disputed property in Onitsha, has remained a source of tension among traders and landowners. Intersociety said the state government’s decision to intervene offers an opportunity for a fair and lasting resolution.
In separate letters dated July 24, 2026, addressed to the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, the Attorney General, the Commissioner for Commerce, and copied to Governor Soludo, the rights organisation urged the government to establish a special panel of inquiry. According to the group, the panel would complement the Ministry of Commerce’s ongoing investigation and help deliver an impartial settlement.
The organisation stressed that resolving the dispute quickly would restore confidence among traders, strengthen the rule of law, and ensure a stable business environment in one of Nigeria’s busiest commercial markets.
Intersociety also raised concerns over the role of the Nigeria Police Force in the matter. In a separate letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Disu, the group called for an immediate halt to what it described as the criminalisation of what it insists is a civil property dispute.
The rights group alleged that several leaders of the market association had been subjected to arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, and extortion since April 2026. It urged the police leadership to withdraw officers from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and other formations handling the case.
According to Intersociety, the matter should instead be transferred to the Anambra State Police Command and handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), while fully implementing the Anambra State Government’s directive issued on July 7, 2026.
The organisation further called for the release of anyone allegedly detained unlawfully and urged the police authorities to investigate and discipline any officers found to have abused their powers during the handling of the dispute.
The intervention has drawn attention to the broader challenge of balancing law enforcement with the peaceful resolution of civil disputes, particularly in commercial centres where prolonged conflicts can affect business confidence and economic activity.
