By Joshua Chibuzom
Residents of Ogbaku community in Mbaitoli Council Area of Imo State are in serious fear over an attempt to assassinate community leader, Chief Iyke Nnadi and other Villagers by hoodlums purportedly aided by traditional ruler, Eze B.A Onyeanwu.
An eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent during his visit to the community revealed that over Fifty villagers were seriously injured in the attack on Wednesday.
Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, he accused the Monarch and few other individuals, of sponsoring attack on leaders for challenging his decision to sale a village land without without the consent of the families who are the direct owners.
He said; Eze B.A .Onyeanwu, Tobias Ihemedu, Emeka Umelo, Nicholas Ekeoha, Theodore Ugwulebo and one Estate Company, Fissan Konsult Nig. Ltd, of 18 Governor’s Road, Asaba, Delta State who has the backing of one JoePat has funded them with the sum N30m to forcibly dispossess the families of Umuonyeashi and Umudogu in Nsokpo, Ogbaku of their family land.
He stated that the Monarch and owner of the real estate company had boasted of having all Security connections and unconventional security network to deal with anyone who dares stand on his way from demolishing the structures already put in place by those who bought from these families.
According to him, the Monarch whose immediate family has no right in the property, donated 4000 plots of the lands of the families of Umudogu and Umuonyeashi to the 2 developers who parted with millions of Naira to him the Eze and his cohorts and instructed them to deal decisively and ruthlessly with key leaders and family members particularly Iyke Nnadi who may oppose the forcible possession of the portions of the land.
Hear him, “it was on 4th September that the Estate land Speculator in company of 2 hilux load heavily armed Policemen of the operation Search and flush backed up with 7 unconventional stern looking armed thugs in an act of brigandry invaded the land to survey the land.
“They were resisted by the members of the land owning families of Umudogu and Umuonyeashi. They later detained our leaders including Nnadi at the X – squad unit of Imo State Police Command under ACP Linus Nwaiwu.
” They were later granted bail with a lot of intimidating threats of the possible consequences of resistance to the possession of the land by the Estate Company instead of warning the Estate Company from acts of forcible entry to the said land which the land owners would definitely resist.
“A locus visit to the site was booked for Tuesday, 24th September, 2024 but their party refused to participate with an intent to forcibly enter the land against all cautions on the 25th day of September, 2024.
“On that fateful 25th day of September, they mobilized 2 hilux load of Policemen from State Command and brought armed unknown gun men recruited from our neighbouring community of Agwa commissioned and recruited by Tobias Ihemedu whose maternal home is from Agwa and lodged them into the compound of Eze B.A.Onyeanwu from where they launched attack on us injuring a good number of our people.
“Their main intention was to assassinate Nnadi, leaders and other family members who opposed their inordinate ambition to dispossess the poor families of their ancestral inheritance.
“See below the photographs and videos of those unknown gun men accosted by our people as they were trying to pass our entrance gate. They police refused to arrest them” he revealed.
Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums also threatened to come and burn houses, Kill notable leaders like Nnadi such that what happened in Agwa in the recent past will be a child’s play to what will happen in Nsokpo as in the words of one Tobias Ihemedu.
Meanwhile, a retired teacher who did not want his name on print expressed disappointments with police officers who according to him were so kind to the hoodlums hired from the neighboring village (Agwa) in Oguta LGA.
“Our expectation is that the police authorities will stop these acts capable of causing total breach of the peace and public order as there is serious apprehension and fear of the unexpected in our land Nsokpo.
“People don’t sleep in their houses any longer. Even yesterday night there was shooting at around the Central Ogbaku Market, our people are in grave danger.
“We wonder why the Police will not be able to be decisive in carrying out their duty of maintaining peace and order by stopping the land Speculator from forcibly attempting to demolish structures already built by those who bought from the land owning families.
“I’m disappointed by the police inability to arrest those accosted by the Youths who came in numbers to bring down structures in our family land without Court order.” He said.
Our correspondent learnt that the Monarch has ran to Abuja to mobilize support with the backing of the Estate companies to launch more attack to the victims.
Ogbaku, well known as a peaceful community is said to be volatile as a result of the land Dispute.
Meanwhile, when contacted to get his own side of the story, Ihemedu denied getting involved in the matter.
He said that he only heard there was crisis but he was not involved, neither was he present at the scene.
He said that all things said against him was an allegation.
“I have seen the video, my face was not showed both in the video and pictures. Those who alleged should proof it.” He said.
