Chief Emeka Rollas, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has dismissed reports alleging that he was arrested and detained by the police in Umuahia, Abia State.
According to the viral reports, Rollas was supposedly apprehended for imposing an unelected chairman on the Abia State chapter of the Guild. However, in a telephone interview with our reporter, Rollas categorically denied the claims, describing them as “malicious and unfounded.” He clarified that he had invited the police to the scene, not the other way around.
Explaining the events that led to the police involvement, Rollas stated that he was in Umuahia to attend the burial of his mother-in-law. While in the city, he decided to join the first meeting convened by the interim chairman of the Abia State chapter of the Guild to encourage members’ active participation. He saw this as an opportunity to strengthen unity within the chapter and promote dialogue among its members.
During his address at the meeting, an unexpected incident occurred. “While I was speaking to the members, someone from the crowd started hurling abuses and issuing threats against me,” Rollas recounted.
Concerned for his safety, he immediately contacted the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Zone 9, who promptly intervened. “The boys were invited to the police for questioning, and the meeting continued smoothly afterward,” he explained.
Following the meeting, Rollas visited the police station in Umuahia to officially report the threats against him. “That was all that happened. I was not arrested or detained,” he emphasized.
His swift action was aimed at ensuring his safety and maintaining order during the meeting. Rollas firmly stated that the allegations of his arrest were baseless and intended to tarnish his reputation.
Further debunking the rumors, Cornel Udofia, the spokesperson for the AGN President, issued a formal statement. Udofia labeled the report as a “figment of the writer’s imagination” and criticized it as an attempt to embarrass both the AGN President and the Nigeria Police Force. “These baseless claims are not only misleading but also disrespectful to the authorities involved,” he said.
The statement provided additional context, addressing the ongoing leadership issues within the Abia State chapter of the Guild. “Since 2024, a group of disgruntled individuals, led by one David Amalaha, has hijacked the Abia AGN by conducting an illegal and unauthorized election,” the statement read. This action, it explained, violated the AGN constitution and led to a series of interim administrations while the matter remains in court.
Udofia also highlighted the circumstances of Rollas’s attendance at the January 9, 2025, meeting. “Mr. Emmanuel Ehumadu, aka Labista, was recently appointed as the new interim chairman of the Abia State chapter. The National President, who was in the state due to a family bereavement, decided to attend the meeting to encourage full member participation.” It was during this meeting that the disruption occurred, prompting Rollas to seek police intervention.
The statement concluded by reiterating Rollas’s commitment to the Guild and ensuring peace among its members. “After the incident, the National President visited Zone 9 in Umuahia to file an official report on the threats made against him. These actions demonstrate his dedication to resolving disputes peacefully and fostering unity within the Guild,” it said. Rollas remains undeterred by the rumors and continues to focus on his responsibilities as AGN President.
