-Narrate How Thugs Allegedly Loyal To Him Invaded Health Center
There are reports that patients at the Umunahiehe Health Center in Amainyi Ward, Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State and their relatives who came to care for them have cried out over alleged harassment and inhuman treatment unleashed on them by thugs at the instance of the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly Hon Chike Olemgbe who they claimed sent them.
According to the patients, armed thugs invaded the Health Center where pregnant women, sick and aged patients including children were being attended to and forcefully sent them away, claiming that they were sent by the Speaker.
Narrating his ordeal and that of others in the hands of the thugs, Clement Okoroafor, a 72 year old man said, “I took my grandson and the mother to the health center because my grandchild was sick. Some boys came and started destroying things at the health center. They ordered all of us to leave the place.
“Infact, I almost fainted because my blood pressure went up. I thought they were (unknown) gunmen. People started running up and down, until they said it was the Speaker who sent them. And, in this health center we have pregnant women who were in the labour room and were being attended to by the nurses.
“Even the UNICEF officials who came there ran away on sighting these boys. They said they want to work on the place; that the Speaker is executing his Constituency Projects. Somebody pointed to them a piece of land by the health center where they said they gave the Speaker to build whatever he wants to build and not destroying the existing health center housing patients.
“But the boys did not listen to our pleas. It was at this point we called the local government chairman on the phone. He came there with policemen, and the boys were arrested. At that point, we were a bit relieved and happy. But, a few hours later, the boys returned and started throwing our things outside, saying that they will show us that the Speaker is the number three citizen of the State.
“We called the local government chairman, Prince Obioha Ndukwe again, but he was very angry. He said he understood that the Speaker had called the Commissioner of Police (CP) who ordered the release of the boys to come and send us away from the Health Center. But why will the Commissioner of Police be part of such sacrilegious act?
“The Chairman promised to get in touch with the state government. He was not happy. But how can a Speaker who is from Ihitte-Uboma treat poor patients and their caregivers with such wickedness? Some of the patients, including pregnant women, were subsequently rushed to Owerri ands we don’t know their condition now.
“We have always known Chike Olemgbe to be an extremely wicked person and God will certainly judge him for unleashing such mayhem on old men and women, even sick babies. So, tomorrow they will tell us to come and vote for the APC. What we witnessed today (Friday) is an eye sore. Even if he wanted to work on the health center, he should have informed the local government chairman, who will make necessary arrangements to evacuate the patients.”
“We even saw the piece of land where he is supposed to build his health center, but left it to come and unleash mayhem on innocent people. Now, we are stranded. I don’t have the money to transfer my grandchild to another hospital. We are here by appealing to Governor Hope Uzodimma to come to our aid. The governor is doing very well, but he should not allow people like Chike Olemgbe to destroy his good name in Ihitte-Uboma.”
He further appealed to the Governor, saying, “We are begging Governor Uzodimma to call Olemgbe to order. He should allow patients take treatment and be attended to, before people will begin to die here. When Ben Uwajumogu was Speaker, Ihitte-Uboma enjoyed it. He never treated us with such wickedness. But since Olemgbe entered as Speaker, what is supposed to be a blessing for the people has turned into a curse for our people”.
Effort to reach Imo Speaker for comment at the time of filing this report was unsuccessful.
