NIGERIA – Tension is currently mounting in Ikenga Ogidi, the country home of late Prof. Chinua Achebe, in Idemili North local government areain Nigeria, after police released two men who were suspected to have shot 11 people, mostly youths in the community.
It was gathered that the trouble started when the former President of Ikenga Ogidi, community Hon. Amechi Ekume summoned a meeting of the town beleived to be aimed at settling disputes between two groups in the community.
However, on their way to the meeting, the youths were attacked by men on the other side of the dispute alleged to be loyal to Ekume.
The attackers inflicted machete cuts on the youths and everybody ran helter-skelter.
Not done, the assailants went from house to house to further attack their perceived enemies.
The matter came to a head when those attacked decided to meet their attackers to ask why they were being attacked when a peace meeting was summoned but on reaching Ikemba roundabout, Ogidi, three of the suspected attackers Mr. Ifeanyi Onyeachonam, Orakwue Ikebuilo and Amaeze Ezekuma allegedly pulled out pump action riffles and shot their pacifiers at the end of which 11 of them sustained gunshot wounds.
Among those shot were: Ndubuisi Nwabufo, Izuchukwu Oraka, Ikechukwu Achebe and Okwudili Achebe. Others were:Abuchi Iweka, Emeka Nrabalu, Onyinye Obianagha and Arinze Obiaku.
PARADISE NEWS gathered that immediately after the shooting, a community leader Rev. Dr. Emma Obianagha telephoned the Ogidi Divisional Police Officer who lured Amaeze Ezukama and Orakwue Ikebuilo to the station where they were arrested and detained.
However, it didn’t take long before the two suspects were released.
In their petition to the State Commissioner of Police Mr. John Abang, their lawyer, B. S. Onuegbu Esq. insisted that justice should be done.
Dated March 9,2020, Onuegbu wrote: “…the youths of Ikenga Ogidi are hoping that justice would be done to avoid a situation whereby the youths will see that the Justice System is weak or nothing as these two persons arrested were released immediately without the DPO Ogidi Police Station charging the matter to court or even the Riffles confisticated by the police”.
When contacted, police spokesman of the Anambra state command, SP Mohammed Haruna, said he was hearing about the petition for the first time.
He, however said that as usual with petitions, the Commissioner of Police will give directive for investigation.
