Police Officers Under Investigation for Invasion, Assault at Delatino Entertainment Center in Umuahia
By: Zagazola Makama
A night of relaxation turned chaotic at Delatino Entertainment & Event Center in Umuahia on March 9, 2025, when a disagreement over entry rules escalated into a violent confrontation involving police officers and the entertainment center’s staff.
It was gathered that at approximately 8:30 PM, SP Eric Ibeji, the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO 1) of Central Police Station (CPS) Umuahia, arrived at Delatino with a friend.
However, a bouncer at the entrance, Njoku Uchenna, reportedly denied them access due to the club’s policy prohibiting outside food, including ‘suya’ meat.
An argument ensued, leading to a physical altercation between SP Ibeji and the bouncer. During the scuffle, SP Ibeji allegedly sustained injuries and subsequently called for reinforcement from the Operation Crush police team.
Upon arrival, the officers swiftly arrested Njoku Uchenna and detained him at CPS Umuahia.
Situation Escalates with Tear Gas and Stampede.
Unsatisfied with the initial response, SP Ibeji reportedly deployed a patrol team led by DSP Ogeoduma Chukwu Emeka for further arrests. Upon reaching Delatino, the patrol team fired tear gas canisters inside the entertainment center, causing panic among customers as well as a stampede that left multiple patrons injured.
Also, a significant property was damage, including destruction of musical equipment and disruption of a live band performance
Consequently, The Commissioner of Police, Abia State (Compol Abs), ordered the immediate detention of SP Eric Ibeji, DSP Ogeoduma Chukwu Emeka, and eight other officers involved in the invasion. Additionally: all injured persons were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
An emergency fact-finding meeting was held between police representatives, Delatino management, and victims of the altercation.
The CP personally led a team to inspect the scene of the incident. All detained officers were handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
Normalcy has returned to the entertainment center.
