One Killed, 5 Injured, 30 Vehicles, 20 Buildings Destroyed As Iyiowa Odekpe Landlords Association Election Turns Violent.

By Chuks Eke

A middle-aged man who has yet to be recognised was thought dead yesterday, while five others were injured in a rage at Iyiowa-Odekpe village in Anambra state’s Ogbaru Local Government Area, following the Iyiowa-Odekpe landlords association election last Monday.

At the last count, no fewer than 30 vehicles, 20 buildings, and other things worth more than N100 million were equally damaged by the youngsters, who claimed to be working for people known as locals.

It was learned that the trouble began when non-indigenes of the landlords association in the region had an election that resulted in a new executive committee led by Sunday Obinze, which contradicted last Sunday’s election of indigenes, which resulted in a parallel landlords association in the area.

Infuriated by the non-indigenous members’ desire to form a factional landlords organisation, the indigenous members allegedly unleashed the youths on the non-indigenous members, who are supported by the association’s Board of Trustees.

Consequently, the indigenes in a bid to hold firm to the leadership of the community, sponsored a candidate of their own choice and conducted an election last Sunday, ahead of the election of the Landlords Association billed for last Monday.

As the non-indigenous Landlords Association members were conducting the election on Monday at Creative Model School, the Odekpe youths stormed the scene and sacked the entire people, destroying the chairs, tables, electoral materials, vehicles, and buildings, among others.

The landlords association who insisted on conducting the election, relocated to another place where they successfully conducted the election and Hon. Sunday Obinze, was declared the winner.

Dissatisfied with the successful conduct of the election that produced Obinze as the President of the landlords association, the Ogbaru youths went on a rampage early Tuesday morning, invaded the residential homes of the newly elected executive members, attacked them, inflicted injuries on them, looted their shops and above all smashéd vehicles, buildings, factories, among others.

Reacting, the  Presidents-elect of the association,  Obinze, said, “At about 7.30 am this morning, some youths from Ogbaru, stormed my house, set my car ablaze, smashed the glass windows, and doors, collected N3.8 million cash meant for workers. The hoodlums equally went to a big soap factory belonging to our Vice-President-elect, Uchenna Ike, and destroyed the factory.

“They must pay for the damages and car, including those of other people. What they destroyed is worth over #30million. One person is almost dead, and over 15 people sustained various degrees of injuries. The igwe of Odekpe and the PG, Innocent Nwanosike, sent the youths, the youths made it known to us when they were doing the destruction,” he stated.

Also, the secretary, Okolie Chukwunonso, stated that the youths broke into his pharmacy and removed #4 million used for POS business, and carted away his barbing equipment, and provisions in his shop, among others.

He accused the President General of Odekpe, Chief Innocent Nwanosike and Igwe Onyia of Odekpe of being the brains behind the destructions that resulted in residents vacating the community.

An industrialist, who was elected the Vice President, Chief Uchenna Ike, confirmed that five vehicles and his factory were destroyed in his industry, including those of other people within his premises.

“After destroying my factory, and bolting away with my money,  they relocated to my residence and smashed the doors, windows and other properties when they came in. Scores were injured and I want Governor Soludo to come to our rescue,” he pleased.

Mr Godwin Nweke whose phone was snatched from him by the hoodlums,  and his wife hit with a hammer, cried for help to Governor Soludo adding that he has no business with their election issue.

In a swift reaction, the accused President General of Odekpe community, Innocent Nwanosike, said he heard of the mayhem lamenting the damages.

“This case would have been amicably solved by the court or Government instead of resorting to violence. This case is an election matter, who will be the President of the landlords association,” he disclosed.

Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ikenga Tochukwu, (DSP), said the police were on top of the situation, adding that the injured one is receiving medical attention in a nearby hospital.