Follow Us on Google
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
All is not well between a “self acclaimed youth leader” in Ukwulu community, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, and the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Peter Uyanwa, over sundry allegations.
Daily Sun gathered that the youth leader allegedly mobilised youths in their numbers to the Anambra State police headquarters, Awka. where he accused Uyanwa of land grabbing and using police to arrest and lock up members of the community who dared to oppose his decisions.
The youth leader, who claimed that the protesting youths were from Umugama village of Ukwulu community, not only accused the monarch of selling off their land but also chanted derogatory songs asking their traditional ruler to leave their lands for them, while carrying placards with various inscriptions.
But while addressing the protesters at the state police command headquarters, Amawbia, representative of the commissioner of police and the police spokesman, Ikenga Tochukwu, wondered why there was no written petition against the traditional ruler or any articulated position of the aggrieved protesters, which the police could rely on to make further investigations.
Though the police spokesman commended the protesting youths for not being unruly and violent while venting their anger, he advised them to get an attorney to articulate their grievances in the form of a petition so that the commissioner could work on it to ensure peace in the community.
However, when the reporter contacted Uyanwa, he said it would amount to belittling himself and the traditional stool he occupies to be joining issues with somebody whom he alleged that his stock in trade has been to cause trouble in the community.
Uyanwa alleged that the antecedents of the man in question were well known in the community and beyond even as he challenged the reporter to make his independent findings without bias.
Some hours after the protesting youths left the command headquarters, people of Umugama village went to the Government House, Awka, with a plea on the government to save them from the youth leader and his group whom they described as a thorn in their flesh in Ukwulu community.
Chairman of Umugama Progressive Union, Ukwulu, Peter Okoye, speaking during the peaceful protest, alleged that the youth leader and his gang have been terrorizing the community despite several reports and complaints to relevant security agencies, including Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Okoye, leading the community in a mass protest in Awka, alleged that beyond intimidation, harassment, extortion and threat to life, the youth leader and his group have intensified their assault on communities, delving into grabbing and selling of the community’s land and challenge anybody who would dare them.
He also accused the youth leader of collaborating with other land grabbers outside the community to sell their land to buyers without the approval of members of the community.
Okoye also alleged that he hired thugs from neighbouring communities like Enugwu-Agidi, Nawgu and Awkuzu and instigated them to engage in violent protest against Uyanwa.
He lamented that he and his people were being threatened daily. Okoye cited the event of February 25, 2022, where some gunmen reportedly shot and wounded two persons from his community, and, but for the swift intervention of the police from Dunukofia Division, more harm would have been inflicted on his people.
He disclosed that, in the process, the police recovered one pump-action gun, one Tundra vehicle and some surveying equipment from the attackers.
He also accused some youths of collaborating with other land grabbers outside the community to sell the community’s land to buyers without the approval of the authorities of the community.
He further alleged that the youth leader’s stock in trade was rushing to the police as the complainant and later subverting and truncating police investigations.
Okoye said the man, who has no position in the community at any level, has made several attempts with his partners in crime to remove him as the chairman of the village, but his people resisted because they believed in his leadership style.
To buttress their claims further on the activities of the youth leader and his cohorts, the entire stakeholders of Ukwulu community also gathered at the village and tendered documents to deplore the activities of the youth leader and also passed a vote of confidence on Uyanwa.
Led by the president-general of Ukwulu Town Union and chairman of Adagbe village, Hon. Uba Christopher Ayiofu, other stakeholders and village leaders included Dr Peter Okoye, Secretary of Ukwulu Town Union and Chairman of Umugama village, Chief Maduka Igboanugo, Chairman, Amagu village, Hon. Francis Arinze, Chairman, Etiti village, Chief Ofodile Okafor, Chairman , Iruezeagu village, Ifeanyi Uzodigwe, Chairman, Ukwulu vigilante services and three other stakeholders, Evangelist Chiadikaobi, Mr Anaeto Nweke and Chief Boniface Kamuche.
The community stakeholders who spoke said that after proper investigation, it was discovered that the protest led by the youth leader was not done by Ugamuma youths in Ukwulu but hired youths from Enugu-Agidi, Nawgu and Awkuzu towns with the simple motive to tarnish the image of their traditional ruler, Igwe Peter Uyanwa.
They noted that Uyanwa being the custodian of culture and tradition of Ukwulu community does not have any land dispute with the people of Umugama village and has not at any point in time made any attempt either to sell, grab or take any land or any part of land belonging to Umugama village, Ukwulu.
Giving a detailed report on the alleged criminal activities of the youth leader and his group, the stakeholders said he had before now carried out several attacks on different persons and group of persons in Ukwulu community which have been documented and petitions written to the police for possible action.
“Most of the cases reported against him included petition to the AIG Zone 13, Ukpo, Anambra State dated 10th October 2021 by B.O Aguigwu and Associates on our behalf. Another was sent to the Inspector General of Police and the Anambra State Governor’s office on 20/10/2020 by the Ukwulu Town Union”
“There is also another petition against him on 6/12/ 21 sent to the Commissioner of Police , Anambra State command on our behalf by Akukalia Emeka Nwankwo among many other complaints bordering on his alleged criminal activities and breach of peace in the community reported at Dunukofia Police Station, State CID, Awka, DSS Anambra among others” they lamented.
The police spokesperson for the Zone 13 Police Zonal Headquarters, SP Nkiruka Nwode when contacted confirmed that the command is investigating case of malicious damage, attempted murder and other sundry acts of violence against the youth leader following petition from the community against him.
