•Alleges ex-commissioner harasses townsmen with police
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
•Ngwogwo people protesting police harassment, arrest
The people of Ngwogwo community, Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have declared one of their prominent sons a thorn in their flesh. They displayed their grievance by protesting the alleged incessant arrest and detention of some members of the community over what they called frivolous petitions by Chief Uchenna Orji, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Works, Chief David Umahi.
The people, who consisted of the old and young, males and females, marched round the community with placards, pleading with the authorities to urge the former Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, to allow peace reign in his community.
They alleged that they have been indiscriminately arrested and detained by the police for no just cause.
Chairman of the community, Ogbonna Sunday Okeke, specifically appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to sustain the peace he enthroned in the community by ordering for election that ushered in new leaders of the area by calling Orji to order before fresh crisis will engulf the community.
Okeke accused Orji of using police to arrest three members of the community, including Ajah Ndubuisi, Maduabuchi Igwe and Nnamdi Chukwu few days ago without committing any offence.
“We are still enjoying the peace our governor brought to our community by making sure that there was an election when some persons like Orji did everything for the election not to hold.
“We don’t want crisis anymore in our community. This is why we are calling on Governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene and save us from indiscriminate arrest by Uchenna Orji. He has been writing frivolous petitions against the community which has been causing arrest of some members of the community.
“Uchenna Orji is the only big fish in government we have in our community. What we need from him is government attention/projects. He should stop bringing crisis to our community.
“What we need in our community is development, peace and progress. We don’t need crisis anymore. If Uchenna Orji continues to cause crisis in our community through indiscriminate arrest of our sons and daughters, we will have no option than to banish him; he will face us squarely.
“He has never attracted any project to our community and has never contributed to the development of our community. All he has been doing is fomenting troubles which we will no longer tolerate,” Okeke said.
The community’s woman leader, Mrs. Ajah Eucharia, alleged that their people had not known peace since Orji got government appointments.
She said: “We want Uchenna Orji to allow us to have a sigh of relief, he should allow us to be. We are suffering austerity measure: no food, no money, inflation everywhere and he is adding to our suffering.
“He has been disturbing our peace, he doesn’t allow us, our children and husbands to sleep. We can’t leave the community for him.”
When contacted on telephone, Uchenna Orji reportedly told reporters: “Write whatever you like, when I send you my own, please publish it.”