Emenike cries out over raid on his Owerri hospital as police order probe

Former Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike has raised the alarm over what he called a violent raid on his hospital in Owerri, Imo State, saying staff and patients were assaulted and some workers taken away.

Emenike, who won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, posted videos and a statement on his Instagram page on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, tagging Governor Hope Uzodimma, the Nigeria Police Force and the Imo State Police Command.

The Imo State Police Command has since ordered an investigation and confirmed that the arrested workers have been released.

What Emenike alleges

According to the former striker, officials of the Imo State Waste Management Agency entered the hospital premises on 21 October, assaulted staff and patients, and took away the hospital administrator and cashier.

He said armed police officers from Oji Police Station took part, and that the workers were detained at the station.

Emenike linked the raid to an earlier entry on 25 September 2026, which he said was ordered by the Divisional Police Officer of the Owerri Urban Division.

In his post, he wrote: "A hospital must be a place of care and safety — not a scene of violence."

He asked the state government, the police and oversight bodies to identify everyone involved, release the detained workers, ensure injured people get medical care, and review CCTV footage and incident records.

He said the hospital was his way of giving back to Imo State after his career in Europe. "A place built to care for people should never become a place where patients are afraid and staff are left feeling unsafe," he wrote.

What the police say

The Imo police spokesperson, DSP Okoye Henry, said the command was aware of CCTV footage circulating on social media showing waste agency officials and police officers at the hospital.

He said three staff members were arrested over alleged violations of the state's waste management laws, and that they have been released.

Commissioner of Police Audu Garba Bosso has directed a thorough and impartial investigation to establish what happened and the roles played by the officers involved, Okoye said.

The command said any officer found to have acted unlawfully would face disciplinary action, and urged the public to remain calm.

The police did not link the raid to Emenike's recent social media posts. Days before the incident, on 14 October, he had criticised some state governors over alleged mismanagement of public funds, calling Nigeria an "embezzlement ground". He did not name any governor.

The accounts differ on numbers: Emenike's statement refers to the administrator and cashier being taken, while the police say three staff members were arrested.

What happens next

The police investigation will determine whether the officers acted within the law. For now, the hospital's workers are back, but Emenike is still asking for protection for patients and staff.