Inside Regina Daniels’ Family Feud: Concerns Raised Over Police Abuse of Power

By Elizabeth Atime-Chirkpi

When Nollywood star Regina Daniels walked away from her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, citizens never imagined their marital rift would spiral into a full blown legal and police drama. Yet today, the Daniels family finds itself battling what they describe as state-backed intimidation, an ordeal that has reopened old debates about how Nigeria’s powerfuls sometimes bend law enforcement to personal ends.

At the heart of the crisis is Regina’s elder brother, Samuel “Sammy” Ojeagwu, also known as Sammy West, who was arrested in Lagos, flown to Abuja, and eventually remanded at Keffi Correctional Centre in Nasarawa State. What began as a domestic feud has become a national conversation about police power, abuse, and justice.

According to the Daniels family, Sammy’s ordeal began earlier in the week when he was taken from his Lagos residence by men claiming to be police officers from Abuja. His elder brother, Lawrence “Sweezy” Daniels, broke the news in a series of emotional posts on social media.

“Sammy is currently in prison,” he wrote. “The judge said to remand him till they can file for his bail. Bail has been filed but the magistrate has disappeared,” he wrote.

He further accused Senator Nwoko of orchestrating the arrest, warning that if anything happened to his brother, the politician should be held responsible.

“They are beating Sammy at Ogombo Police Station. If anything happens to any of my siblings, hold Ned Nwoko responsible,” he added.

Regina Daniels, visibly shaken, also took to her verified Instagram page to demand answers: “My entire focus right now is to know the whereabouts of my brother. Where is Sammy, Ned?”

“Imagine one of the highest authorities in the police saying his hands are tied. Like, how is that possible?” she wrote.

Her mother, Rita Daniels, added fuel to the fire when she alleged that she, too, had been marked for arrest by the police. “Bite the finger that fed you, and you will fall,” she warned in a viral video, accusing her former in-law of betrayal. “You married my daughter because you wanted someone with a high star to boost your fallen star.”

She claimed she had been informed that the police planned to arrest her “on or before Monday,” a statement that has caused stir among Nollywood fans and human rights advocates.

As the public clamour intensified, a viral video surfaced online revealing that Sammuel had been charged before an Abuja Magistrate court. However, before then,  Lagos State Police Command attempted to clarify the situation. Its spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, told journalists that the command was not responsible for the arrest.

“The individual in question was not arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command,” Adebisi said.

“The officers who carried out the arrest came from Abuja with a duly signed warrant. He was only held briefly at Ogombo Division due to the lateness of the hour before being transferred.”

However, when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command was contacted, its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, initially denied knowledge of the arrest.

“We don’t have such a case in our record; no division has even reported having such a case,” she said.

A few hours later, she backtracked, acknowledging that she had received word of the suspect “on his way to the command,” but provided no details about the case file, the allegations, or the reason for his transfer to Nasarawa State.

According to a leaked police invitation letter obtained by online outlets, Sammy was accused of criminal conspiracy, trespass, assault, criminal intimidation, theft, and cyber-bullying. But he insists the accusations are false.

According to reports, a WhatsApp exchange allegedly from the police, Sammy was invited to Abuja for “fact-finding purposes.” He questioned the legality of such an invitation: “Is this how the police invite people now through WhatsApp? And for such charges? This is not proper procedure,” he reportedly said before his arrest.

Family sources claim he was denied access to his lawyer and was kept incommunicado for days.

“They didn’t allow me to call my lawyer or even talk to my family. Since Monday, nobody knew where I was,” Sammy said through his brother Sleezy in a post

Senator Ned Nwoko’s Silence

Senator Ned Nwoko’s Silence

So far, Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, the lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District has not publicly addressed the allegations that he used his influence to orchestrate the arrest of his brother-in-law. Repeated efforts by Daily Times to reach his media team were unsuccessful.

But behind the silence lies a figure whose life has long intertwined politics, wealth, and controversy.

A British-trained lawyer, Nwoko, 64, is a former member of the House of Representatives (1999–2003) and a billionaire businessman with interests in law, real estate, tourism, and philanthropy. He returned to active politics in 2023, contesting under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and winning the Delta North Senate seat after years away from the political limelight.

His 2019 marriage to Regina Daniels, then a rising Nollywood star aged 19, catapulted both into national and international headlines. The union stirred intense debate across social media, partly because of their 45-year age gap and the senator’s history of polygamy he is widely reported to have multiple wives and several children.

Yet, beyond the gossip, political analysts say the marriage had a real-world impact. It gave Nwoko unprecedented pop-culture visibility in Delta North, especially among younger voters. The actress’s massive fan base she had over 10 million followers across platforms brought new attention to the senator’s philanthropic work in education and malaria eradication. Many residents of Aniocha North, his home constituency (and Regina’s as well), credit the couple’s outreach programmes with boosting his profile ahead of his eventual Senate win.

However, the same marriage that once symbolised glamour and influence has now become a source of tension and public scrutiny. The Daniels family’s accusations of intimidation have recast Nwoko in a different light from the charming political figure who once appeared at Nollywood events beside his youthful wife to a powerful senator now accused of weaponising the police.

The timing and nature of the arrest have sparked mixed reactions and suspicion. However, many Nigerians perceive it as another example of how political elites manipulate security institutions to settle personal or political grievances.

Here are direct quotes from users on X (formerly Twitter) in reaction to the alleged arrest of Sammy West (Regina Daniels’ brother) and the broader drama involving Regina Daniels and Ned Nwoko.

On her part, @AnnieSaliss wrote: “A clear abuse of power … stand up for what’s right.”

@Fillipo_Saga commented, “Nigerians never protest for increase in egg price, na Una family matter we wan protest for? When Una dey chop daddy money, you no call for protest for?”

@EbenezerAmadi1 recalled past statements: “But your sister Regina carried chair and advised Nigerian youths not to protest bad governance because she was part of them. Have you forgotten?” This user highlights perceived hypocrisy given Regina’s previous stance on protests.

@Bayology added a sardonic note:

“Online in-laws don suffer oo, we no follow una chop life when all dey rosy but make we go stand for sun because brother-in-law put family member for free accommodation.”

Here the user critiques the spectacle of the family drama and the call for public solidarity.

Political observers argue that his handling of the current controversy could define how both his constituents and the wider public perceive him going forward.

“For a man who built part of his political identity on family, charity, and youthful connection through Regina Daniels, this kind of story is damaging. It feeds into the broader narrative of how power in Nigeria often becomes a tool for settling private scores”said political analyst Dr. Tony Udeh.

This is not the first time Nigerians have seen this kind of power play. The country’s recent history is littered with cases of police and military intimidation.

During the #EndBadGovernance protests earlier this year, security forces were accused of using excessive force to disperse peaceful demonstrators. Human rights watchdog Amnesty International reported cases of arbitrary detention and brutal assaults.

According to Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria

“People in Nigeria witnessed unbelievable lawlessness as security personnel fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters. The death toll could be higher than 24 because of the authorities’ apparent desperate efforts to cover up the atrocities.”

“The brutal crackdown on the #Endbadgovernance protests is a clear manifestation of Nigerian authorities’ failure to respect the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” he lamented.

Similarly, in the #EndSARS aftermath, dozens of protesters were held without trial for months. Activists such as Omoyele Sowore and journalists like Agba Jalingo have repeatedly faced police harassment and detention for criticising those in power.

Legal analysts say the Daniels’ case exposes a continuing culture of impunity. “Our police system is easily influenced by those who hold political or economic power. Until officers who abuse their powers face real consequences, the cycle will continue,” notes Lagos-based human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong.

For ordinary Nigerians, the Daniels’ ordeal is painfully familiar. Thousands of citizens have endured unlawful detentions, disappearances, and extortion at the hands of security operatives acting on orders from above. This latest drama, wrapped in celebrity glamour and political intrigue, simply exposes how fragile the rule of law remains.

As the Daniels family braces for more arrests and possible court battles, the nation watches once again how the scales of justice tilt when influence meets law enforcement. Because in Nigeria, when power pulls the trigger, it’s often the powerless who bleed.