By Cajetan Mmuta
Leaders and ondigenw of Nteje Community in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State have appealed to Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo and other relevant authorities to come to their rescue from incessant harassment, intimidation and attack on them by those suspected to be enemies of the area.
One person had died when armed men stormed the troubled area while seven others are currently lying critically ill in different hospital in the town.
The people made the appeal during a press conference held on Friday in Awka the state capital.
The call followed last week Thursday, June 16, 2022 invasion of Nteje community by heavily armed security operatives suspected to have been deployed to the community by some highly placed individuals over a disputed land during which seven persons sustained serious gunshot injuries.
Spokesperson for the community, Mr Martins Okechukwu, disclosed that seven persons including Chief Benneth Chinweze who is the acting President General (PG) of Nteje, sustained gunshot injuries from the activities of suspected security operatives whose identities are yet to be ascertained.
He said, “Apart from our President General, now laying critically ill, one Oluebube Anukwu who was among seven persons that sustained gun shots, is now dead, while five others are receiving treatments in different hospitals.
He explained that, “Before now, Nteje has been a peaceful community, but in the past ten years all that we are facing are incessant attacks and arrest of our people, and in some cases they are taken to Abuja where they suffer grievously.”
Okechukwu blamed the ugly development on some native, alleging that one Chief Mike Nwakalor as the person behind the crisis due to his interest in land grabbing activities.
He noted that Nteje community today has about four army checkpoints which some privileged individuals take undue advantage to harass the residents.
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Also, Chief Benneth Chinweze, the acting President General of Nteje who spoke from his hospital bed in Awka, told newsnen that he had harrowing experience in the hands of the security men on June 16.
According to him, “I was driving when suddenly some persons who all covered their faces double crossed my vehicle and ordered me out of my vehicle. They forced me into their Hilux truck, tied my legs and hands and blindfolded me before they began to give me treatments like a common criminal.”
“This incident took place on Thursday June 16, but it was on Friday June 17, that I regained consciousness in a hospital. As you can see, I cannot raise my two hands up or use them to eat and bathe, I am just helpless here as you can see”, he stated.
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Chinweze who is also the regent of Nteje Community said that he suspected that it was Chief Mike Nwakalor that was behind his ordel.
He said, “Before I lost consciousness, the people beating me kept saying, you always insult Chief Mike Nwakalor and if you don’t respect yourself, we will teach you bitter lesson”.
But when contacted, Chief Mike Nwakalor denied any involvement in the said attack or invasion which took place in Nteje on June 16 and do not have hand in land grabbing activities in the community.
He said, “As a community leader, I heard what happened and upon investigation I was told that Chief Chinweze had a petition against me and when security operatives came for him, he tried to evade arrest.”
“I further gathered that those who got gun shots blocked security operatives and in the exchange of gun fire some of them got injured”, he said.
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Nwakalor added that he was also not involved in any land dispute with any person in Nteje, streswing that, ” I have 200 plots of land between Nteje Park and Umunya and the property is not in dispute because I have my certificate of occupancy”.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, when contacted on the incident said that the command was not aware of the matter which occurred in Nteje on June 16.
He urged people of Nteje who are affected in the matter to come up with information that could help police in getting to the root of the matter.
