Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Following alleged encroachment and destruction of property worth #100million at Ugbo land, three out of five suspected land grabbers were said to have been arrested in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State, by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Special Monitoring team from Abuja.
It was gathered that on arrival to arrest the suspects, the trio of Mr Amala Ndozie, Ikenna Onunkwo and Samuel Onuchukwu, were arrested while two others fled and are still at large.
Making this disclosure to newsmen yesterday, the Chairman of Umuokokpa village, Comrade Ejike Madunagu, hinted that on waking up in the morning there were destructions of residential buildings, fences, and farmland by people we know in the community as land grabbers”
“What they do is that they encroach on any land/property to incite communal crisis among families/communities and then commence sale of such land while it is in crisis”
“So in this case I immediately petitioned the IGP and he sent his Special Monitoring team that came and arrested three out of five of them while two others are at large.”
“They claimed to be members of Elders’ Forum (O.E.F) that is non-existence in Oba when they were arrested and accused the police of demanding money from them to be released.
They should stop accusing the police team and allow the team to do its investigation as they cannot escape the wrath of the law.”
Speaking, the President General of Aboji Akanano Union, Chief Dozie Nweke, said, “I heard of the arrest of some of my subjects over destruction of property. It was one of them arrested, Samuel Onuchukwu, that called me and told me that they were arrested in connection with encroachment and destruction by the chairman of Okokpa village, comrade Ejike Madunagu.”
“Before the arrest, I appointed a committee to look into the destruction with a view to settling it. The police have right to arrest and I urge them to do proper investigation and I stand here to say that there is nothing like Elders Forum in Oba because if there is I should know as the PG.”
In defence of the suspects, the chairman of the Elders’ Forum where they claimed they belonged to, Chief Raphael Okonkwo, and his secretary, Chief Obi Onowu, condemned the arrest and detention of Chief Ndozi and others saying they were innocent of the offence and accused the police team of demanding N400, 000 bribe to release the suspects.
The forum said that, “the demand for such huge money for bail is a dent on the already bartered image of Nigerian Police as well as negates the position of IGP of zero corruption of Nigerian Police.”
The Elders’ Forum unequivocally demanded that the Police should immediately and unconditionally release Chief Amala Ndozi.
“The CP Elema incharge of the monitoring team should be made to face disciplinary action from the police Service Commission (PSC) aand IGP for abusing his office and bringing the name of Police to disrepute.”
The Elders’ Forum said that after 24 hours of this briefing and Chief Ndozi was not set free , they would mobilise over one million Oba citizens to match to Police to protest and demand for his immediate release.
“We demand that CP Elema and his team who arrested Ndozi should be reprimanded and sent to refresher course to learn to be in tune with the current reality.”
