Burning of village head’s house in Nkpor: Confusion rages as Anti-Cult Squad Arrests 8 Suspects

www.odogwublog.com reports that there is confusion, denials and counter denials on who set the house in Mgbachu village Nkpor Idemmili North local government area of Anambra state on fire weekend, even as no fewer than eight (8) persons have been arrested in connection with the setting ablaze of the house.

Anambra state police command announced this yesterday in a statement to newsmen. The state police command said the arrest was made by the Anti-Cult Squad in the state.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Okechukwu Ali, who made the disclosure, added that the names of the suspects would later be disclosed.

www.odogwulog.com  recalled that in the wee hours of January 1st this year, the house of Hon. Innocent Ilechukwu was set ablaze by people he described as cultists allegedly led by Chibuzo Okeke and Ikenna Anikpe. They were allegedly sponsored by a former member of House of Representative, Hon Christian Okeke.

Ilechukwu said that property worth N25million was destroyed and that the suspected cultists warned earlier that they would raze the house and did as they promised.
But in a swift reaction, Hon (Dr.) Okeke who is the elder brother to Chibuzo Okeke revealed that Ilechukwu burnt his house by himself and urged the police and the Anti-Cult Squad to investigate him and avoid arresting innocent people over the burnt house.
In the words of Hon Okeke, “I don’t want to mince words with Ilechukwu but because he mentioned me in one of the national dailies that a former member of the House of Representatives who is a medical practitioner from Mgbachu Village Nkpor, was involved in the arson, I knew he was referring to me so I had to open up and tell the world that Ilechukwu is sponsored by some of the members of the Interim Management Committee to set his house ablaze”.
“His grudge is that he is facing a murder charge before a court of competent jurisdiction and he resolved to tarnish the image of the principal witnesses to the charge against him”, Hon Okeke stated.
“I am a responsible man and cannot descend so low as to set a building ablaze. I was the former President-General of Nkpor Community and currently, the Chairman of the Mgbachu Land Committee Association and am there to protect the land of the village”, he revealed further.
In his own defence, Ikenna Anikpe corroborated the position of Hon (Dr) Okeke adding “Ilechukwu set his house ablaze and accused us of perpetuating the act because he feels that we will implicate him in the court as principal witnesses to a case of murder he is facing currently”.
He said, “before now they wanted to kill me but I have always escaped. They set ablaze two of my cars. I cannot set anybody’s house on fire and as the chairman of Mgbachu village I sympathize for the family of Ilechukwu that their son set his house ablaze”.