By Ikenna Obianeri
Members of the traditional council of Enugwu-Agidi community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested the invasion of the home of the community’s traditional Prime Minister, Dr Osita Anameze.
The Personal Secretary to the traditional ruler of the community, Ifeanyi Ndulue, during the protest at the Anambra State Government House, on Saturday, told journalists in an interview that heavy security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, from the Rapid Response Team, Abuja invaded the home of their traditional prime minister two weeks, without any cogent reason.
Ndulue, who spoke on behalf of the monarch, Igwe Michael Okeke, said the development has led to a series of crisis in the community and fuelling tension in the area.
He begged the Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to intervene in the ongoing crisis in the community to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
He alleged that the crisis in the community was being orchestrated by the President General of the community, Chukwuebuka Onuorah, adding that the crisis started when the community tried to prevail on Onuorah to disband a private militia he had formed.
He said, “We are here to meet with the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Matters and intimate him on the crisis in our community, so that the governor will hear.
“We no longer sleep in our community despite having befitting houses, because of fear of being attacked by gun wielding touts who have been constituted into a private militia by our president-general.
“Last Sunday we had phone calls that some hooded policemen came in their numbers and invaded the house of the traditional prime minister of our community, Dr Osita Anameze to get him arrested.
“We were informed that the president general of Enugwu-Agidi Brotherly Union, Chukwuebuka Onuorah, made a petition against him at the Force headquarters. We don’t even have the details of the petition yet.
“That is not the only issue in our community. The president general has made Enugwu-Agidi unsafe, and has been harassing everyone.”
When contacted for reactions, the President-General, Chukwuebuka Onuorah, said, “They are just trying to create confusion. Why are they panicking because policemen came to invite the prime minister? Do you know how many times they have arrested me?
“If someone is not guilty, why are they afraid of police? The private militia they are talking about is Enugwu-Agidi Vigilante, not Ebuka Onuorah vigilante. The vigilante is owned by the entire community and funded by the community, just as other communities have theirs.”