By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka
The Anambra State Vigilante Group (AVG) has distanced the state government from any form of crisis in Isuanaocha Community, Awka North local government area of the state.
It said that the present administration of the state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo has done so much by ensuring the peaceful installation of a duly-elected traditional ruler and President General (PG) of the community, respectively aimed at restoring peace to the area after 15 years of absence of a monarch.
Spokesperson of the AVG, Chief Nweke Nweke stated this on Friday during a press briefing held in Awka.
He attributed the activities of unknown Gunmen and other illegal armed men to some influential personalities, who were allegedly on government wanted list over their involvement in a murder case.
While exonerating the State Commissioner for Homeland Affairs, Hon. Chikaodli Anara from the recent protest by hired women in the area, Nweke Nweke, described the claim “by some disgruntled elements as not only laughable but also a bluff and scheme meant to tarnish the image of the commissioner.”
He said, “Ordinarily, we would have allowed the nonsense issue to die its natural death as it is a known fact that the claim of those who went to the venue of the Isuanaocha Women August Meeting held on Monday, the 21st of August 2023, forced the women to converge the following day (Tuesday) for the protest or pay 5,000 fine, did so to shelve their image from the murder charge they are facing”.
“I am here to dust the claim of the known troublemakers from Isuanaicha Community, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State who are determined to smear the image of the Commissioner for Homeland Affairs, Hon. Chikaodli Anara through the by-forced protest, they held on Tuesday the 22nd day of August, 2023.”
Chief Nweke Nweke disclosed that some disgruntled elements from the Isuanocha community have been trying to portray that the community was boiling, and therefore forced some law-abiding citizens of the area to stage a protest after they (citizens) the duly elected traditional ruler, HRH, Igwe (Barr.) Mkpuorah Ngini had been issued with a certificate of recognition by the State Government recently.
The AVG media aide stated that information available had it that the protesters were allegedly led by one Mr. Fredrick Egwunwa, who claims to be the Caretaker President of the town and publicly accused the Hon. Commissioner for Homeland Affairs, Chief Chikodi Anarah of allegedly imposing the monarch on Isuanaocha people.
He said,”The claim is not only laughable but a totally depicts the highest disorder but we have it on good authority that there is nothing like a caretaker committee in Isuanaocha as there is a substantive President General, in the person of Chief Paul Okoye.”
“However, government officials have since described the ill-organized protest as a bluff, contending that the election of the Traditional Ruler of Isuanocha, which was the brain behind the crisis was led to rest after the conduct of the election that produced the present traditional ruler.”
“The election was however witnessed by both the Council Chairman of Awka North, government representatives, and security agencies and it is known free, fair, and credible adding that those protesting are those that have continued to make the area ungovernable.”
“Let me make it known that Chief Chiokodli Anara is not from the Isuanocha community and he doesn’t even have the power(s) or the authority to choose or decide who becomes the Igwe of his Amaunke Community let alone Isuanaicha, though it is a neighboring town to his town.”
“The only issue here is that when Hon. Chikodili Anara was the Special Adviser to the former governor on security matters, he made it clear that some people in Isuanaocha town have murder charges against them and they should be made to face the law.”
READ ALSO: NSCDC arrests 40 suspected illegal coal miners in Enugu
“It is the same people who coaxed the villagers to go on protest or face sanctions and they carried out the pretest under duress and that is why they are the disgruntled elements stand out to smear the name of the Hon. Commissioner.”
Nweke Nweke added that, “By the virtue of the Commissioner for Homeland Affairs’ position is that if an election is to be held in any community, including markets’ unions and such people require security, it is the responsibility of the Hon. Commissioner to provide such people with security, aimed at making such election, a-hitch-free one, that was exactly what he did during the election of the traditional ruler of Isuanaocha held recently but the ungrateful elements in Isuanoacha are paying the Hon. Commissioner with name calling.”
Recall that one man (name withheld) was fingered of allegedly having used some thugs and murdered the late Angus Okoye in cold blood and they are facing murder charges now those people that are in Amawbia prison are being held for nothing and in noticing that the Hon. Commissioner for Homeland Affairs has insisted that the law should catch up with the lawbreakers, those accused in the heinous crime have conspired to seek Governor Charles Soludo’s sympathy through attacking Hon. Chikodili Anara as a way to escape the crime they allegedly committed.
“Out of the stupidity of the partners-in-crime in Isuanaocha, some innocent people from the community have been in Amawbia prison for more than a year now and those people fueling the crisis in the community are behind that.”
“If you go to Isuanocha today, you will notice that those behind the crisis in Isuanaicha have hired unknown gunmen and they are terrorizing innocent people in the community destroying people’s homes and they thought the best way to keep the Hon. Commissioner for Homeland Affairs away in restoring peace was to tag him with a name he never deserved.”
“In buttressing my claim, the current President General of the Community is not in town because anyone who opposes them is arrested and charged with murder.”
“In trying to achieve their selfish aim, those who came to the protest were forced to do so if not they would be dealt with violently. They also went to where the women were doing their August meeting and disrupted their meeting.”
It was amazing that the immediate sacked president general of Isuaaocha, one Tony Onyeagolu that has been working around the clock to foist his brother, Festus Onyeagolu as the traditional ruler of Isuanaocha, having known that his ambition was dead on arrival, decided to castigate the Hon. Commissioner by saying that he has taken over their land, a claim that does not hold water.
He called on those behind the problem in the community and their cohorts to come forward and prove where Hon. Chikodili Anara has even a plot of land in Isuanaocha.
“They should make themselves available and face the murder charge hanging on their neck instead of portraying in bad light the man who has sacrificed his life for the good people of the state.
