Igwe Stool Tears Umuawulu Community Apart As Gunmen Invades, Hijacks Security Vehicle

The eleventh hour certificate of recognition issued to the traditional ruler of Umuawulu community,  Awka South local government area , Igwe Joel Egwuonwu by the former Governor Peter Obi is allegedly tearing the community apart. 

 

Igwe Egwuonwu is alleging threat to his life even as many leaders of the community are now into hiding for fear of unknown.

Umuawulu as a community was without a traditional ruler for 20 years after the death of the former traditional ruler, Igwe G.C. Igboamazu, until February this year when the former Anambra Governor Obi handed a staff of authority to the new Monarch Igwe Egwuonwu .  This was after many years of leadership tussle over who becomes the Igwe of Umuawulu.

This is coming as unknown gun men stormed the community and drove away with the security vehicle of the community donated to the community by the former Anambra Governor, Peter Obi.

The community is allegedly polarized over security and Igweship stool which led to the suspension from office of the President General Chief Leo Uchendu who was later reinstated.

Member representing Awka South II and the majority leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Harford Ikechukwu Osekke and the President General of Umuawulu community, Mr. Leo Uchendu were alleged to have been fuelling the crisis in the community, an action many political watchers described as over ambitiousness of the majority leader to return to Anambra Hallowed Chamber, come 2015.

But ,the majority leader refuted the allegation, describing it as baseless and unfounded even as
 the Coordinator of Vigilante Services in Anambra State, Chief Kenneth Okonkwo and the Secretary General of Umuawulu improvement Union, Mr. Cyril Eziofor are not left out.

 When he was on suspension, the then vigilante Group were disbanded and the traditional ruler inaugurated a security committee which was headed by one  Emmanuel Chike Oranyelu , a lawyer with a mandate of inaugurating a new vigilante group and as well overseeing the activities of the new security team after inauguration.

Oranyelu said  the committee acted on the terms of reference but the disbanded Vigilante service refused to hand over security properties to the new them. He confirmed that his house was invaded midnight and the security van stolen.

His words: “Rather, they started firing into the air, the next morning, they attempted abducting the new leader of the security team. They later moved to the house of the palace secretary, Cyril Eziofor, they wanted to kidnap him or kill him, accusing him of holding their N1million grant.

‘’We petitioned relevant security agencies in the state which led to their arrest by the police. They were detained including the President General, Mr. Leo Uchendu but unfortunately, the majority leader; Hon. Harford Oseke went and released them on bail without any consultation on Igwe or the committee.

His petition to the state commissioner of police, CP Usman Gwary stated that his life is being threatened.

  The petition captioned: “Break and Entry, Armed Robbery, Serious Threat at Umuawulu” the lawyer-turned politician alleged that the hoodlums entered about 10pm after hitting his padlock severally.

 
 “Some group of people fully armed with guns and sharp machetes and in hunger position rushed on me and members of my nuclear family, threatening my life and that of my family.”
  He said he could identify some suspects as Sunday Okpala, Okey Obi Nwafor, Emeka Okoye, Goddy Nwankwo, Innocent Mgbike and few others he could not identify.
 “Immediately they entered my compound, Emeka Okoye jumped into a vigilante van in my house and made away with the vehicle with an unknown key as the original key is still with me. Okey Obi Nwafor confessed in presence of my family that he must kill me or send the people that will kill me after which he would commit suicide.”
  Oranyelu however appealed to the police commissioner, CP Gwary for their immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution according to the law as their boasting in the community may cause bloodshed if unchecked.

  In his palace, the traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu who looked perturbed and moody told our reporter that he was not in town when the incident happened but confirmed the report of threat to life and disappearance of security vehicle in the town. He admitted that the crisis in the community has been there before his recognition as traditional ruler of the town. He added that he set up a committee with a mandate of recruiting, screening and harmonizing security system in Umuawulu.

He described as unbelievable, the incessant shooting and invasion of Barr. E.C. Oranyelu’s residence, saying, it is against the law.
  “After the incident,” according to the new monarch, “I called for security stakeholders meeting. All my cabinet members including the President General, Leo Uchendu and Hon Oseke (the majority leader) were all in attendance. We discussed extensively on the security situation and after that, I dissolved the two parallel vigilante groups and mandated the security committee headed by  Oranyelu to constitute another security team. I am now appealing to anybody affected to sheath his sword and give peace a chance in this community’’.
  He however called on the police and other security agencies to assist in recovering the missing security vehicle.

But the President General of the town Uchendu appears not yet ready for peace, until, according to him, the right thing is done.

Uchedu said he has been paying the vigilante members with his resources since 2012 but expressed dismay that the secretary general of the community, Mr. Cyril Eziofor refused to release the N1 million cheque, being the security grant for 2013. He said that Mr. Cyril and his cohorts defiled the order of the Special Adviser to the former Anambra Governor, Col George Muolokwu to release the cheque to the community.

The cheque, our investigation revealed, was given to the secretary, Mr. Cyril when the President General was on suspension.

The PG also said that the monarch and others are crying wolf as he was not consulted before constituting a new vigilante group in the community, an action he described as uncalled for..
“The only notice they gave me was a letter written by the secretary, mandating me to hand over all the security gadgets under my custody” .

“ Igwe and Barr. Oranye have been writing against me and they are the cause of the crisis in this town. There is peace in Umuawulu, only that they want to make the place ungovernable for me. I bought one security vehicle with my money and I am paying all of them N10,000 per month with my money. What is secretary doing with the N1milion naira security grant?

When contacted, the majority leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Harford Oseke and the coordinator cum police consultant on vigilante matters, Chief  Kenneth Okonkwo said the matter is under control stating their readiness to embrace peace.

Okonkwo said the security vehicle has been recovered but now in the central police station, Amawbia. He further stated that the culprits will be seriously dealt with to serve as deterrence to others.
  On his part, the Anambra state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the crisis in Umuawulu community but denied knowledge of the disappearance of security vehicle in the community.