A leading human rights organization, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), has called on Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to take urgent action following the death of Okey Akaneme, a business figure and former President of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA).
Akaneme reportedly died from internal injuries sustained during what FENRAD described as a “brutal assault” by agents of the Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA), allegedly during a tax enforcement operation.
In a strongly worded petition made public over the weekend, FENRAD condemned the incident, labeling it a tragic and avoidable outcome of what it sees as a broader pattern of violent revenue enforcement in the state. The group alleged that ASWAMA agents often act outside the law, violating citizens’ rights under the guise of tax collection.
“We are deeply saddened that a man of Akaneme’s stature and service to the community could be subjected to such inhumane treatment and ultimately lose his life at the hands of state agents,” said Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD.
FENRAD’s demands to the state government include:
- An immediate and independent investigation into the circumstances of Akaneme’s death;
- Identification and prosecution of the ASWAMA agents involved;
- Comprehensive reform of ASWAMA and similar tax enforcement bodies;
- Compensation for the Akaneme family;
- A public condemnation of violent enforcement tactics by the state.
The organization also urged the Anambra State House of Assembly, Nigeria Police, and the National Human Rights Commission to intervene and ensure that justice is served.
“This is not just about one man,” FENRAD stated. “It is about confronting a system that allows brutality and fear to be tools of public policy. No citizen should die from interactions with those charged to uphold public order.”
FENRAD expressed solidarity with the Akaneme family and the Onitsha business community, pledging to pursue justice and long-term reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Anambra State Government is yet to respond to the petition at the time of filing this report.
