Enugu: Twist in Ogbosinne crisis as arrests continue

Peace has been elusive in Ogbosinne community, in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu state, since the assassination of its traditional ruler, Igwe Stephen Nwatu, and destruction of property in the community.
CHUKS NWEZE in this report observes that there is twist in the crisis, making return to normalcy a forlorn hope
Elusive peace Peace may remain elusive for a long time to come in Ogbossine Autonomous Community, in Akpugo, Nkanu west local government Area of Enugu state which is enmeshed in a crisis that eventually consumed the traditional ruler, Igwe Stephen Nwatu, as well as property worth billions of Naira.
Worse still, there has been many court cases, indiscriminate arrests by police, a Judicial panel has been set up as well as external influences associated with crisis.
Suspects The situation is a case of two divides, ‘if you are not on the side of the late Igwe of the community, then you are one of the suspects involved in his death’, and as such all those who were opposed to the late Igwe’s alleged ‘obnoxious’ policies while he was ruling and their relatives have become suspects.
Consequently, police have been indiscriminately arresting those pointed at by the late Igwe loyalists as suspects in the matter, while no one cares about the consequences of the gross destruction the mass police action will create in the community.
The situation in the community has become so worrisome that women and children of the families opposed to the late traditional ruler’s leadership style are hardly seen on the village roads as all the grown-ups were either being detained by police or on-the-run to evade police arrest and detention.
Mob beat up monarch Recall that the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Nwatu was beaten to stupor by a mob after he ordered his driver to run over of one the community members with his vehicle while on their way to Enugu Government House.
The late Igwe Nwatu was alleged to have blocked the road to stop the members of the community from attending a peace meeting convened by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state when he ordered his driver to run over Jesse Okenwa for daring to ask questions on why the blockage on the road.
“But most disheartening is that the man Jesse Okenwa who the traditional ruler’s driver almost crushed to death on that 11 June 2018, is now a cripple, confined to wheel chair and no one seems.to care about what resulted in the spontaneous action that led to the death of the Igwe”, so said Barr.
Nebe, lawyer to the crippled man.
Although police have been arresting those suspected to be involved in the mob action which ended the life of the traditional ruler, the case of crippled Okenwa does not seem to matter at all to anybody in the community as Okenwa seems to have been abandoned by his community members and relatives.
Petition Struck by this stark reality that Okenwa may have been abandoned to his fate, Barr. B. N. Nebe, Counsel to Jesse Okenwa, wrote to the Enugu state Commissioner of Police, dated 10 September 2018.
“My client was abandoned in the National Orthopaedic Hospital, where he was referred to by the Enugu Government House clinic.” According to the petition, “our client remained in the hospital until recently when the Hospital management refused giving him treatment and attention due to lack of fund.” The petition read in part: “Our client could not report to the police because some policemen were there when this happened and he cannot as we write now stand on his feet.
Jesse through his lawyer asked the state commissioner of police to use his good offices to see that justice is done in his case.
Villagers on the run Our correspondent gathered that members of the community who could have assisted Jesse financially were either on the run or are being detained in police/ prison custody in connection with the death of the Igwe.
It is alleged that many people from the community who were not even around during the incident were arrested on the grounds that late Igwe Nwatu loyalists pointed at them or because they may have at one time or the other had an altercation with any of the late traditional ruler’s loyalists who in turn include all their perceived enemies as the people that allegedly murdered the traditional ruler.
The worst is that police have secured court orders to seal the bank accounts of the accused persons who were alleged to be involved in alleged murder.
Even those who are on the run have had their accounts frozen, it has been gathered.
Nebe, Counsel to Okenwa, stated in the letter to the Commissioner of Police that the action of using the court to seal accounts of accused persons is a negation of rule of law since the law presumes the accused innocent until convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Besides the law takes such part if the alleged offence is a financial crime.
The fact that one is accused of crime does not guarantee the sealing of the person’s business/es or even bank accounts especially where there are family dependants such as wife, children, aged parents and other dependants whose wellbeing is dependent on such person,” he pointed in the petition.
Lamentations Speaking on the unfortunate incident, Mr Jesse Okenwa, whose ordeal led to killing of the Igwe lamented his present condition on a wheelchair saying, “I can neither walk nor work.
I had several jobs at my shop but I have not carried them out because I cannot go to anywhere any longer.
I am here nursing my injuries and pains.
“All the people who could have helped me in this condition have been chased away,” he cried, adding that he can no longer take care of his family especially his children who are in school.
He said that people who should have helped him were being hunted for arrest by the police over the death of the traditional ruler over the incident, noting that, majority of the natives of the community had abandoned their homes, businesses and fled for fear of being ropped into the case.
Okenwa stated that it was painful that the police had continued to hunt the community members when the driver of the vehicle and its occupants who ran over him, thus provoking the incident were walking freely on the streets.
Okenwa cried for help, urging the state government to come to his aid as he has been abandoned to his fate due to the crisis in Ogbozinne community.
God’s intervention He prayed God to intervene in the matter to enable peace reign in the community, adding that it was wrong for the police to “continue to arrest people when a judicial panel of Inquiry has been set on the matter”.
In his reaction, the Enugu state commissioner of police Danmallam Mohammed confirmed that police sealed some of the suspects accounts but that it was the police strategy to make the suspects especially those on the run to turn in and answer for the allegations.
Mohammed said that police will look at the accounts sealed and unseal them especially those who are not seen to be directly involved in the beating of the traditional ruler.
The Commissioner denied receiving any petition from Jesse Okenwa’s lawyer for the purpose of also bringing those that crippled him to book but promised, “if we receive any petition in respect to Jesse Okenwa, the police shall as well investigate it to find the circumstances surrounding his claims”.
The police commissioner disclosed that the matter has been charged to court, thereby corroborating an earlier release by the Command’s PRO, Ebere Amaraizu that named Uchenna Edeh M, Joseph Okenwa, Leonard Nnam and Nnemba comfort Okenwa as the four persons charged to court among others at large.
Judicial commission Meanwhile, the Judicial commission of enquiry set up by government started sitting on the matter on the 12th of September 2018 and while the parties come up with various claims and counter claims, the state prosecution are to be determined by Director of public prosecution.
But as intriguing as the situation has become police is still arresting persons in connection with the case.
On the September 14, 2018, police allegedly swooped on a reverend gentleman, Rev. Kenneth Azikiwe Okafor in charge of the Methodist Church Ogbozinne, Rev.
Okafor who granted interview recently to the media on the crisis in Ogbozinne and was scheduled to testify before the Commission of Enquiry set by Enugu state government was allegedly arrested by police.
A member of a neghbouring community who only gave his name as Jude Ede said that Rev Okafor was arrested because he is percieved to have testimonies against the late traditional ruler’s group.
According to Ede, “they do not want the man of God to appear before the Commission”.
From what is happening, not allowing the Reverend gentleman testify in the crisis buttresses the allegations that Ogbosinne crisis is being manipulated by the loyalists of the late traditional ruler.
“If they should continue to intimidate the people of Ogbosinne, who will testify to the Judicial commission set by government”, he queries.