Youths of Etiti Village in Igbo-Ukwu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, have rescued a young man who was allegedly chained and locked inside a yam barn by his father for over four years.
The victim, identified as Chigbo Agudo, was discovered after rumours and suspicions about his sudden disappearance prompted the youths to confront his father, a dreaded native doctor in the community. For years, villagers were told that Chigbo had travelled to China, a story consistently maintained by his father. Unknown to them, the young man was being held captive within the family compound.
The dramatic rescue, captured in a viral video, shows the moment the youths stormed the compound and eventually uncovered Chigbo chained hand and foot inside the barn. His father had initially remained defiant, insisting that his son’s whereabouts were nobody’s business. The angry youths, citing Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s security advocacy, ransacked the premises until they found the victim.
In the video, Chigbo, visibly frail, revealed that he had been locked up since July 3, 2021. He said he was first kept outside before being moved into the yam barn after falling ill, where he remained for years, sometimes gagged and surviving on occasional meals. His rescuers struggled to unlock the rusty padlocks and chains, eventually sawing through them to set him free.
Reports suggest that the ordeal was allegedly carried out by his father with the support of his father’s in-law from a second wife. Chigbo is said to be his father’s only son from the first wife. The reason for the confinement remains unclear, though some villagers claimed he was considered stubborn before his disappearance. Many others, however, have condemned the act as inhumane and called for justice.
When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed that the Command had seen the viral video and was investigating the matter to obtain full details.
