The Officer-in-Charge (O/C) at the Imo State Police Command, Francis Itua, who is leading the prosecution of Barrister Chinedu Agu, former secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri branch, who is facing trial for alleged criminal defamation of Governor Hope Uzodinma, has been described as a fugitive.
This was revealed by human rights lawyer and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu.
According to Odinkalu, Itua, from the Legal/Prosecution Unit of the Imo Police Command, who is leading the prosecution of Agu, is currently under an arrest warrant order issued against him in July 2025 by a Magistrate in Owerri for “deliberately flouting the order of court.”
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, attached with the court order against Itua, Odinkalu wrote, “The O/C Legal in Imo Police, Francis Itua, who executed the corrupt persecution & detention of Chinedu Agu is actually a fugitive.
“In July this year, a Magistrate in Owerri ordered his arrest for “deliberately flouting the order of court. He is on the run….”
#Breaking: The O/C Legal in @ImoPoliceNG, Francis Itua, who executed the corrupt persecution & detention of @ChineduAgu87 is actually a #Fugitive. In July this year, a Magistrate in Owerri ordered his arrest for “deliberately flouting the order of court.” He is on the run…. pic.twitter.com/uKMriT9Ow5
— Chidi Odinkalu, CGoF (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 26, 2025
The court arrest warrant order dated July 16, 2025, and issued by Chief Magistrate GD 1, E. U. Chinaka, Esq., was issued against Itua in a case marked OW/273c/2025 between the Imo State Commissioner of Police and Amadi Chukwunedum, Confidence Iheanacho, and Chizoba Amadi.
The court order read, “Upon the order of court dated 19th day of June, 2025 wherein your office was mandated to release the said Master Chiemerie Amadi to the mother Confidence Iheanacho.
“And after hearing G.I. Unah Esq. apply for bench warrant against you for flaunting the said order and calling it kangaroo order, it is my decision that the application be and is hereby granted as I order:
“That the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command is ordered to apprehend the O.C. Legal Itua Francis and produce him before the court tomorrow (supposedly July 17) to answer to why he deliberately flaunted the order of court on two occasions.”
With the order of Itua’s arrest, the case in question was adjourned to July 17, 2025, when the police commissioner was supposed to have arrested and produced him in court.
Meanwhile, despite being on the run, Itua is leading the prosecution of Barrister Agu over allegations which stemmed from the lawyer’s alleged Facebook posts critical of Governor Uzodinma’s administration and the state’s police command.
SaharaReporters reported on Thursday that Chief Magistrate Obinna Njemanze of the Magistrate’s Court in Owerri ordered the remand of Barrister Agu, despite acknowledging that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Magistrate Njemanze, who also serves as Deputy Chief Registrar of the Imo State High Court, granted the police request to detain Agu and subsequently adjourned the case to October 29, 2025.
The Imo State Police Command arraigned Agu earlier that morning, charging him with criminal defamation and incitement. Agu pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution team, led by Mr. F. O. Itua of the police Legal/Prosecution Unit, formally requested that Agu be remanded in prison custody.
Although the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, later granted bail to Barrister Agu, it was gathered that the lawyer is still currently in prison as the bail was directed to the police and not the prison authority.
It was gathered that the Federal High Court has directed Barrister Agu’s legal team to file another bail application before the court next week.