The Abia State Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Comrade Ugwumba Adiele, was reportedly arrested by police officers believed to be from Abuja in connection with a ₦5bn defamation case filed by the member representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chris Nkwonta.
A source familiar with the development said Adiele was arrested at about 8:10pm on Friday, September 11, 2026, at his residence in Umuahia, Abia State.
The circumstances surrounding the arrest could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report. It was also unclear whether the arrest was authorised by the FCT High Court, Court 59, Asokoro, Abuja, where the defamation case is pending, or whether it resulted from a separate police complaint or process.
The civil suit reportedly concerns statements allegedly made by Adiele on social media about the handling of constituency projects. Nkwonta is said to be seeking ₦5bn in damages, alleging that the statements were false and damaging to his reputation.
One of the issues reportedly raised in the case concerns allegations that Nkwonta’s biological children were used as incorporated trustees to manage a Federal Government project. The allegations have not been established by a court.
Adiele, a former Special Assistant on New Media to Nkwonta and his constituency collation agent during the 2023 National Assembly election, had previously described the suit as unfair treatment.
Speaking with HopeAlive Media before his reported arrest, Adiele said he had been served with a writ of summons in which Nkwonta demanded ₦5bn in damages over alleged defamatory statements. He said the matter was before the court and denied defaming the lawmaker.
Adiele attributed the disagreement largely to his demand for more than 12 months’ outstanding salaries, an allegation that has not been independently verified.
According to him, his relationship with Nkwonta deteriorated after the PDP Deputy Governorship candidate, Elder Abraham Amah, visited Ukwa East on a thank-you tour on January 15, 2025.
Adiele alleged that Amah criticised some PDP members who had won elections on the party’s platform but later defected, including Nkwonta. He claimed that his failure to challenge Amah over the remarks contributed to the breakdown of his relationship with the lawmaker.
“After the meeting, Nkwonta severed his relationship with me from that day up until today for not insulting and challenging the state party’s Deputy Governorship candidate during a gathering where he was criticised. From that moment, he cut ties with me and stopped paying my salary,” Adiele alleged.
He further claimed that repeated attempts to resolve the matter, including requests for payment of his outstanding salaries or the formal termination of his appointment, were unsuccessful.
“I did everything within my power to get Chief Nkwonta’s attention, but out of his natural habitat and pride, he refused to give me a listening ear, and that was what led to my resignation,” he said.
Adiele also alleged that tensions increased after he raised questions about accountability concerning a constituency project allegedly facilitated by Nkwonta. He did not provide documents to support the claim.
He said he later received a legal notice directing him to appear before the FCT High Court on June 3, 2026.
The former aide also recalled using his personal vehicle for official duties, including transporting aides. He said the vehicle eventually broke down after he was allegedly promised a replacement.
“Instead of being compensated, I am now facing a lawsuit,” he lamented.
The reported arrest does not, by itself, establish liability in the defamation case. The court is yet to determine the merits of the claims and defences presented by the parties.
Attempts to obtain Nkwonta’s reaction to the reported arrest and Adiele’s allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
It was also not immediately possible to confirm the identity of the officers involved, the police command responsible for the operation, or whether Adiele had been formally charged or released.
The development has prompted public discussion, particularly over the relationship between the reported police action and the pending civil proceedings. However, no official statement linking the arrest directly to the defamation case had been made available as of press time.
