Mburubu community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has accused the Hon. Commissioner of Science and Technology, Prince Lawrence Ezeh, of sharing guns and ammunition with the youths of his community, Mburubu, as well as launching media attacks against one of their good sons, Engr Dr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe.
Chief Aniobi Vincent Okafor, in a statement sent to newsmen in Enugu on Monday on behalf of Mburubu General Assembly, with respect to the reported crisis bedeviling the community, where two of their sons, Chief Dr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe and Prince Lawrence Ezeh, have been fingered as parties fueling it, stated that the crisis has given much negative publicity to the community, especially allegations of the use of police and other security agencies to harass some youths.
He stated that the reports that circulated last week, where some youths who destroyed properties in the community accused an innocent man, Chief Dr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe, of high-handedness, came as a shock because Prince Lawrence Ezeh has been the one using police and thugs to harass the people, especially Onuokaibe’s followers, aides, and others, and has written more than nine petitions against Onuokaibe, submitting them to various security agencies in Enugu, Abuja, and Lagos, including the police and DSS.
He stated that Prince Lawrence Ezeh had sent thugs to attack those who attended Onuokaibe’s official reception on February 2, 2024, where many people were locked up, beaten mercilessly, and also forced to pay fines.
He posited that Mburubu people have always respected Prince Lawrence Ezeh as a renowned son, but his commitment to tarnishing the image of Dr. Jerry Patrick Onuokaibe through both physical and media attacks, as well as using security agencies, has crossed the red line; adding that the height of it was giving some of the community youths guns to attack Dr. Onuokaibe and then playing the victim card.
According to Chief Aniobi Vincent Okafor:
“We are shocked to the brim with what Prince Lawrence Ezeh has been doing to Onuokaibe, his followers, family, and supporters. This is a man who we always respect as a son, but instead of reciprocating the same to other Mburubians, he resorted to the use of security agencies to harass us, Onuokaibe’s supporters, and aides. Between December 2023 and November 2025, Prince Ezeh has written a series of petitions against Dr. Onuokaibe just to blackmail him. In one of his petitions which we saw, he labeled Onuokaibe a drug dealer dealing in ammunition, a fraudster, a terrorist, among others, just because the community chose him to lead us as our traditional ruler. Him and his co has arrested some of Ọnụọkaibe’s supporters who are also from Mburubu several times and took them to Abuja, including Hon Obinna Okonkwo, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Njoku, Hon Azubike Njoku among others. In one of the arrests, Onuokaibe, Hon Obinna, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Njoku and Hon Azubike Njoku were taken to IRS where hardened criminals are kept, yet Onuokaibe did not say anything. It is on record that a court order was obtained against Prince Lawrence Ozoemena Ezeh, the police, and other security agencies from arresting them when the issue got out of hand. Prince Lawrence sent thugs to attack innocent villagers who organized a reception for Onuokaibe in February 2024, illegally locked them up, fined some, seized some of their properties, and committed other evil deeds, but he kept quiet after being begged not to react. All these happened in a country where we have freedom of association. In that vicious attack on his followers, more than 30 who are from Mburubu were beaten, and the reports went viral. But as a man of peace, Onuokaibe kept quiet after the intervention of some of our elders.”
Chief Aniobi Vincent Okafor also stated that the traditional leadership which Onuokaibe is contesting was a plea made by Mburubians to him in 2022 to come and lead them, which he had never imagined doing.
He also stated that Onuokaibe’s acceptance of the plea was the origin of these attacks against him by Prince Lawrence Ezeh, whom he accused of pocketing the community for years and dictating who becomes what without being questioned.
“After mourning our late Igwe in 2022, the move for a successor began, and a meeting was held at Obodo Uhuegbe Village Square with all people, the late Igwe’s cabinet, and the General Assembly present. He was not there. He was told that the community sought someone who would serve like the late Igwe, prioritize the community interest, bring development, be young and vibrant, and hold an Ozo title, which prompted lots of ideas and suggestions, especially regarding how our late Igwe emerged.”
“After deliberations and following the 1976 coronation agreement, he was chosen by the overwhelming majority, and a delegation was sent to inform him of the decision. He was shocked and surprised and did not say anything. He only told them that he would make some consultations. After his consultations, he accepted, and they submitted his name to the local government, then to the Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Chieftaincy Matters in December 2023 and January 2024, which got Prince Lawrence Ezeh annoyed, and he submitted the name of Linus Igbudu just to oppose him. Prince Lawrence Ezeh would prefer anybody but not Dr. Onuokaibe. When that failed, he began writing damning petitions against him and his supporters. He has sent armed thugs to beat them several times, but this last one will not work.”
On the recent crisis that arose from the community, Chief Aniobi Vincent Okafor stated that Prince Ezeh got a court order through his cronies to stop Onuokaibe’s iri ji programme after hearing about the personalities that would attend just to incite him and, on top of that, sent armed thugs to kill him in his house.
“The recent crisis started when Onuokaibe scheduled November 1st as his new yam festival celebration day, which everybody has a right to do. He came back on October 31st to tell them that it would not take place again due to a court order from Enugu State High Court. On that same day, he was in his house telling his people the new development when some heavily armed youths blocked everywhere and started shooting sporadically. Everybody was shocked because such has never happened before in Mburubu. Aside from shooting sporadically, they began to destroy people’s houses and other properties belonging to his supporters. All these are on video. His family who came home is still traumatized because of the gunshots. These heavily armed youths did not cover their faces; they were acting with vigor while chanting Prince Lawrence Ezeh’s name. Over 30 innocent members of our community were beaten by these armed thugs, and I almost lost my life during that incident, if not for the timely intervention of security agencies. After the ugly incident, Dr. Onuokaibe had to write a petition to the police through his lawyer. One of the prime suspects, by name 2face, was invited but refused to answer until he was arrested. After his arrest, he made a confessional statement that prompted the arrest of others, who confessed that they were given guns by Prince Lawrence Ozoemena Ezeh and bullets by Chief Felix Chukwu, Abata Ana eri. They also confessed that the instruction was to belittle Onuokaibe and kill him on sight if possible and that the hotel where they held the meeting was Simipat Hotel, Mburubu, owned by Chief Simon, while Chief Joseph Nwankwo, Chief Linus Igbudu, among others, were part of it.”
Chief Aniobi Vincent Okafor also decried lies told in the media that Onuokaibe arrested youths of his community and forced them to bow before him as their traditional ruler.
“All these are lies. During the investigation by police coupled with gory revelations by the arrested youths, some elders of the land approached Dr. Onuokaibe to tamper justice with mercy and allow peace to reign. He was asked to help with the release of those youths so that it could be sorted internally, which he did. During all this, Prince Lawrence Ezeh and other sponsors of the assassination attempt and arson were nowhere to be found. Due to Dr. Onuokaibe’s kind nature, he released them to respect the elders who pleaded on their behalf. These boys, on release from custody, came to his house to thank him and also prayed for him. During that process, he urged them not to be involved in anti-progressive activities of some evil men in the land. He also told them that they must not support him but should support whoever they want, but should avoid the use of guns for any reason in Mburubu. After that meeting, those youths begged Dr. Onuokaibe to help them with clothes, which he did. It is on record that he bought clothes worth ₦30,000 for each of them and also released a sum of ₦10,000 each as transport. It was at that point that they begged him to kneel down for prayers, which he did, and they all prayed for him. All these are on video. To be honest, we are shocked with what they did in court. It was a total lie.”
Chief Aniobi Vincent Okafor however stated that Onuokaibe’s lawyers are in court to do justice to the suit while they are making a series of efforts to get the issue resolved.
“We are aware that Prince Lawrence Ezeh financed their court outing and media attacks on him just to hide the truth and we have begged Dr. Onuokaibe again to give us time to resolve it. The evidence against our people is so damning that if not well sorted, it could put us into severe crisis. At this point, we want peace.
We want our lovely Governor His Excellency Peter Ndubuisi Mbah to intervene in this matter. Let the will of Mburubu people on who becomes the traditional ruler as done in 1976 which is Dr. Jerry Ọnụọkaibe stands. It is sad that Mburubu as a community does not have any traditional ruler or existing government.”
