…Injured 10 persons
Youth suspected to be political thugs Wednesday invaded Nkalagu community in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi state.
They attacked the villagers injuring over 10 persons, destroyed buildings, set motorcycles ablaze and made away with other items.
Houses belonging to the acting traditional ruler of Nkalagu community, Eze Livinus Umeanu, the town union president, Mr. Omaha Joseph, the village Chief of Imeoha, Chief James Mbagu among others were destroyed by the hoodlums.
Blueprint gathered that motorcycles numbering 5 were set ablaze, undisclosed amount of money were also burnt while other items destroyed by the thugs includes, 4 deep freezers, GP tanks, 2 generating sets and other household appliances.
Speaking with our correspondent in Abakaliki, the town union President, Mr. Omabe Joseph said that trouble started when the community rose against a youth leader in the community, Mr. Emeka Onukwube and his gang who specialize in vandalising properties of Nigercem Cement Company in the community.
Mr. Omebe regretted that despite the efforts of Chief Cletus Ibeto to revive the premier cement factory in the community, Mr. Onukwube and his carted away equipments of the company and sell them as scraps to waiting buyers.
He noted that when the community realized what was happening, they mobilized security personnel who accosted them and ensured that their activities were stopped, adding that the community also removed him as the youth leader of the community.
The town union president also alleged that the hoodlums were acting on the instruction of a National Assembly member from the area whom he said used the thugs to unleash mayhem on his supposed political enemies.
Another Victim, Mr. Awara Sampson who described the attack on the community as unfortunate, called on the Commissioner for Police, the Director of the State Security Service and the state government to ensure the arrest of those who masterminded the attacks on the members of the community.
Mr. Awara cautioned against using thugs to attack innocent members of the community by the National Assembly member, adding that the community will continue to protect the equipments at the cement factory against those who are against the revival of the company.
