On Monday, August 25, 2025, the calm village of Igboukwu in Anambra State’s Aguata Local Government Area was rocked by the news of a horrific case of domestic incarceration that lasted almost five years.
The discovery was found after teenage locals went to look into the weird noises emanating from a remote cottage on the fringes of the hamlet after becoming alarmed, according to a story by The Punch. The entire community has subsequently been in shock over what they discovered: a young man named Chogbo, also known as Agudo, who has been shackled and imprisoned by his own father since 2021. Since his father frequently comforted worried neighbours who asked where Agudo was, the townspeople had assumed for years that he had gone overseas.
An eyewitness revealed, “The father told us he travelled, not knowing our brother was locked up in a hut for five years.” Rescuers were met with a terrifying scene as they pushed their way inside the crumbling building.
Now in his mid-twenties, Agudo was found weak and undernourished, with physical signs of extended confinement. He was chained with rusted iron, and the hut’s locks were so corroded that rescuers had to pry them open because the original keys were no longer working. According to Agudo’s tragic story, he has been chained and living in total seclusion since 2021. He lived for years without access to enough food, clean water, or social interaction.
The young man’s condition, according to his neighbours and rescuers who helped with his liberation, showed signs of serious physical and psychological neglect. The victim had been released and was undergoing immediate medical and psychological treatment, according to the Anambra State Police Command, which confirmed the event.
While the specifics of the terrible deed are yet unknown, police officials also said that enquiries had begun into the father’s motivation for locking up his son. Residents of the community have voiced shock and incredulity, calling the occurrence one of the most unsettling in recent memory. When the father informed us that Agudo had travelled overseas, we had no reason to question him. One resident remarked, “No one could have imagined he was suffering behind closed doors all these years.” Rights advocates have also voiced their opinions, urging in-depth enquiries and legal action to guarantee that justice is done.
They emphasised that these inhumane crimes underscore the necessity of increased community awareness, mental health education, and more robust safeguards against domestic violence…
