A meeting organized by the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, descended into chaos on Thursday when aggrieved members disrupted the gathering.
The meeting, held in Umuahia, was interrupted by protesters who accused the AGN National President of orchestrating an illegal assembly.
Tensions escalated to the point where the Zone 9 Command of the Nigeria Police Force had to intervene to prevent the situation from turning violent.
The protesters demanded recognition for David Onyebuchi Amalaha, who was elected as the chairman of the Abia State chapter of AGN on May 20, 2023.
They claimed that Amalaha’s efforts to uphold his mandate had been met with resistance from the AGN national body, which they accused of imposing leadership on the state chapter.
According to the aggrieved members, several lawsuits have been filed by Amalaha to challenge what they described as unfair practices by the national leadership.
Among those protesting were Chika Okezie, Egwuatu Daniel, and Nathaniel Nwoko.
They alleged that Emeka Rollas had appointed five interim state chairmen in Abia State since 2023, a move they said had caused division and unrest among AGN members.
Speaking about the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for Zone 9, SP Iheanetu Bruno Chukwudera, confirmed the police’s intervention.
He stated that while no arrests were made, both the AGN National President and leaders of the aggrieved group were invited to provide statements.
“There was indeed chaos caused by some aggrieved members, but nobody was arrested.
The issue stems from factional leadership problems within the AGN. The key actors were invited by the Assistant Inspector General of Police to give their statements about what transpired during the meeting,” Chukwudera said.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions within the Actors Guild of Nigeria, with members calling for fair leadership and resolution to the prolonged disputes.
