Armed robbers lay siege to Anambra community …Kill one, rob over 54 staff of College of Education

Misery and nightmare have become the lots of residents of the Umunze community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State following the onslaught launched on the community by armed robbers.
Most hit are the members of staff and students of the Federal College of Education (Technical), situated in the community who now hold their hearts in their hands while at work or at home.
At the last count, a staff of the institution, Mr Sunny Ike has lost his life to the activities of the bandits while over 54 staffers of the institution have been attacked and robbed of cash and property running into millions of naira.
Some of the victims were robbed on their way, some others in their residences at  night and others had their apartments broken into while they were away either to the office or church.
At a point got  the robbers were sending letters or text messages to their targets, making demands and instructing the-would-be victims to keep items on their demand list ready for them as failure would be disastrous.
One of such cases was that of a female staffer who they went to her house while she was in the church and took all they wanted and later sent her a text to keep a particular amount of money for them or put her child at risk.
Her case was made worse by the action of the policeman who was assigned the matter after she reported it to police station as he allegedly wanted to turn the case against her for failing to bring the money they demanded to investigate the matter.
Narrating her ordeals in the hands of the robbers, a female staffer of the institution, who pleaded anonymity said: “That day was a Sunday, I went to church, coming back from church my room, the burglary proof was broken and they came into my room. They searched my house and went away with some money, my phone, my laptop and some other things and before I came back from church they had gone.
“Two weeks after the robbery, they sent me a message that they were still going to come back, that what they got from my house was not enough. That I should keep N2 million for them, that if I did not do so, they will kidnap my daughter and that my life is the line.”
The woman who reported the threat to the police, however, got  more shock   the policeman handling the matter began to threaten her for refusing to give him money.
“I reported the matter to the police and they said they are going to track the number but at a point they were demanding for so much money so I now told them that I was no longer interested in the case. Then the IPO in charge of the case started threatening me, that if I don’t continue the case that he is going to turn the case against me, that I gave them false information, that they are going to report to the school that I involved the police without much information.
“They kept on harassing me until I had to get the DPO’s number in charge of Umunze Police Station and I called him because it was actually the DPO I first reported the case to and he handed it over to the IPO, so when I told him, he was very upset and called the IPO to order, that was when he stopped threatening me,” she said.
However, tired of the nonchalant attitude of the security agents and the government to the plight of the people, the College community took to the streets  of Umunze recently calling on the government, as well as the traditional ruler of Umunze, Igwe Promise Eze, the former Deputy Governor of the state, Engr. Emeka Sibudu; the local government Chairman, Chief John Onyeakpa and the member representing Orumba South at the state House of Assembly, Princess Nikky Ugochukwu, to come and save their lives and property.
Numbering over 1,000, the staff of the college dressed in black attire with placards took to the streets of Umunze, lamenting that they were presently under armed robbery siege as the rampaging robbers have made their lives miserable in the last six months.
Some of their placards read: “Umunze is under siege, please come to our rescue,” “We pay our tax please give us security,” “How many will die before silence is broken?” “Government fish out robbers in this community,” “Obiano you are working but robbers are killing us”, and “What did we do wrong?”
Protesting under the aegis of Joint Action Committee on Trade Unions of the institution, the members of staff of the institution decried the incessant attacks on their members of staff and students which culminated in the death of one of them, Mr Ike.
They took their protest to the palace of Promise Eze; the Orumba South Local Government headquarters, the house of the immediate past deputy governor, Sibudu and Chairman of the State Security Committee for Anambra South Senatorial zone, Hon. Ugochukwu.
Speaking at Orumba South headquarters, Chairman of the College’s branch of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr. A.T. Nwamaradi said that all the workers residing in Umunze no longer sleep with their eyes closed because of the actions of the robbers.
He said: “We are living in danger. Life is gift from God, but it is unfortunate that some people are threatening our lives on a daily basis.”
Earlier in a letter of protest signed by the Chairman of COEASU, Dr Nwamaradi; Alex Okoli of NASU and Eze Joachin of SSUCOEN, they said: “We the entire executives and members of the various trade unions operating in the college namely, COEASU, SSUCOEN and NASU which are umbrella bodies of both the academic and non-academic staff operating in the college wish to bring to your notice sir, the incessant attacks on our staff and students by armed robbers and miscreants which recently culminated in the death of a staff of our college and subsequent loss of property by members of staff and students of the college.
“As part of our frustration with the entire security situation in Umunze, we will be embarking on peaceful demonstration to press home our dissatisfaction and to alert the security agents and government of Anambra State on this hydra-headed situation which if not nipped in the bud will make teaching and learning impossible as the security and property of our staff can no more be guaranteed.
“We most kindly urge your support and the good uses of your office to ensure that adequate structures are put in place to avert future reoccurrences that may lead to break down of law and order.”
Though they did not meet Igwe Eze, the council chairman, Chief Onyeakpa and Hon. Ugochukwu at their homes and office, the former deputy governor, Sibudu pleaded with them to be calm down as the government of Willie Obiano has security as its priority and would tackle their problem.
His words: “The issue of security is so dear to the heart of Governor Willie Obiano’s administration coupled with the fact that Umunze is a border town to some other states, Abia and Imo, we are conscious of that. Be that as it may, I want to assure you people that we are not resting on our oars to see that we nip the thing in the bud.”

By Geoffrey Anyanwu