The people of Ogbuke Ogbaku Autonomous Community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State have decried the illegal attack and abuduction of their men numbering seven persons who are members of Vigilante group and had gone to a farmland partway to supervise an ongoing security barricade project.
Speaking, President General Ogbuke Ogbaku Autonomous Community, Chief Godwin Onwuzurike who alleged that, the communal land crisis are caused by one, Mr. Samuel Ibekwe and his cohorts who has sponsored over 20 youths from Umuduru Obineoha Community of same Mbaitoli Council Area led by one Sopuru alias Kabaka an alledged prison escapee to carryout the dastard act.
According to him, when the news got to them and the phone numbers of the victims were all unreachable, the police control room was contacted for the rescue of the seven missing persons from the hand of their abductors.
He pointed out that, several attempt to locate the missing persons proved abortive before a radio message came from the police indicating that the victims are all alive and in their custody.
Investigation revealed that the rescued victims who were badly brutalized were later detained at Owerri Urban after transferring them from the place they were without bringing their perpetrators to police for explanations instead of that Owerri Urban Area Command added more salt to an injury by requesting them to pay a whooping sum of money for bail without proper investigation on the matter.
It was revealed that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) thereafter told them to report back in few days without any form of commitment to investigate the allegation and ensure that the perpetrators pledge to be of good conduct by writing undertaking, thereafter, a bail bond issued to be signed by a reputable person.According to the villagers, the way and manner the matter was handled, it would give the attackers undue advantage to enter a land that does not belong to them.
One of the villagers said, “This is a show of bias and incompetence on the side of police to use their position to favour a particular side.
” We want justice in the matter because our Children were tortured like common criminals and their personal belongings taken away, including 5 Quilink motor cycles, 14 handset phones, one Blue tooth ear piece phone accessory, 4 pair of Leather Sandals and 2 Dunlop Slippers among others” ,he said.
When contact the Traditional Ruler of Obineoha Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Nnamdi Ali said that the action of his people are condemnable as he occupies a constituted authority and has sworn not to shade or hide any evil in his dormain. He explained that the land in question is under litigation before the people of Umuduru Obineoha approached him to support them to sell it which is not only illegal but a contempt of court and the claim of selling same has resulted to alot of crisis including the recent abuduction of Ogbuke Ogbaku people.
Further, the PG, Chief Onwuzurike insisted that, the people of Ogbuke Ogbaku Autonomous Community are by this medium sending an SOS to the governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma and CP Imo State Police Command to help to avert a looming bloodbath and also to wade into the land matters to avoid loss of lives and property and to safe Ogbuke Ogbaku in particular from eventual invasion plans of the people of Umuduru Obineoha Community who had refused to accept Supreme Court verdicts against them on that land which has led to both parties going back to court to seek judicial interpretations on the supreme Court judgement in favour of Ogbuke Ogbaku Community.
