Council Chairman Condemns Destruction Of Property During Bloody Landlord Election

By Chuks Eke*

As reactions follow last Tuesday’s wanton destruction of lives and properties in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra state, the transition committee chairman of the Local Government Area, Hon. Pascal Anaegbuna, on Wednesday condemned the mayhem allegedly perpetrated by Odekpe youths, which destroyed approximately 30 vehicles, 20 buildings, shops, and looting.

“What happened is quite unfortunate, the damage quite colossal, to be honest, I least expected this, yesterday I heard they had a little crisis here over landlord association election,” Anaegbuna remarked, condemning the destruction”.

“I put a call across to the two parties involved, the President-General of Iyiowah-Odekpe town union, Barrister Innocent Nwanosike told me that he was at the police station along with the group, and at the end of the day, he told me that the perpetrators of the dastardly act have been arrested”.

” I scheduled a meeting with the two parties involved and they told me that they had an appointment already at zone 13 today, they now pleaded with me that the meeting be rescheduled for tomorrow, ordinarily I was expected to have a meeting to get an audience from them tomorrow so that we can look into what originated from the crisis and to proffer solutions”

“So I received a call this morning that the sane youths had invaded the layout and damaged whatever they could see, cars, stores, houses. I droved to the site to see things myself, it is an ugly site, it is never anticipated, I never knew it had gotten to this level, whoever must have done this, I blamed his action, not relenting, I  must proffer a solution, I condemned this act,” he stated.

” I have advised them not to take laws into their hands, what happened there was quite annoying but there should be no need for a reprisal attack. I advise they should keep calm, I plead to them to calm down, the state is already aware, they are on their part trying to make sure that peace is restored in this layout,” he disclosed further.

On speculation making the round that the Odekpe youths will come back to continue the destruction, the council boss reiterated, “They cannot try that, we are Ogbaru people, we are not known for this, Ogbaru people are never violent, if you ask people they will tell you that Ogbaru people are peaceful.

“This is not what Ogbaru people are known for, I promise you it will never repeat, we have put phone calls across to our sons and daughters outside here, and nobody will support this, thinking that it will happen again is out of place,” he assured.

To buttress his claim he said that the State police command was already on the ground to avert further attack and ensure the return of peace to the community.

“We are following it up, the community has not been in crisis, only that they were supposed to hold an election but it is like the due process was not duly followed and they said no, they were preparing for Iyiowa landlord association, there were complaints here and there that certain documents, certain things needed to be done by the people who are contesting, there have been peace all this while,” he further explained.

Recall that the Ogbaru youths according to the newly elected President of the Landlords Association, Hon. Sunday Obinze, destroyed over 30 vehicles, 20 buildings, shops and one person feared dead.

Obinze disclosed that there were a lot of illegal multiple taxations being imposed on residents by the Odekpe community with the support of the monarch and President General of the community.