protesters
The people of Aguebi Umuagu Autonomous Community in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State on Wednesday February 2nd, 2022 protested against what they called forceful land grabbing and intimidation and called for help from Ohuhu leaders.
The people mostly women with green leaves were chanting angry songs when they presented a protest letter titled “complaint Against Police intimidation/Harassment at the instance of Elder Nlewedim Goodwill Emelandu” signed by ninety one persons at the premises of the President General of Ohuhu welfare Union, Chief Obi Aguocha .
Aguebi Umuagu in the letter read by a community leader, Chief Nkemakolam Chukwudi expressed sadness over the unwarranted and unlawful arrest, detention and land grabbing meted on their indigenes.
According to the protest letter, for the past three years, one Elder Nlewedim had arrested and detained more than twenty persons on baseless allegations, which if further looked into, will border on land grabbing.
Chukwudi cried out that some vulnerable ones have abandoned their lands to Nlewedim, while others who resist him are allegedly in police crime list or the other.
In the letter copied to the traditional ruler of Umuagu autonomous community Eze John Ezeoma, the state commissioner of police, the AIG zone 9 Umuahia, including the press, added that two people recently arrested by the police were bailed with fifty thousand naira each. The frowned that the police have demanded the community to bring ten other person’s or risk massive arrest.
The community however said they will resist police coming on ungodly hours to whisk their people like common criminals, lamenting that “enough is enough”.
While reiterating their resolve to resist intimidations, the protesters said they have formed vigilante groups to protect themselves and called on the President General of Ohuhu welfare Union, Chief Obi Aguocha to rescue them, because the said Nlewedim and the police have pushed them to the wall, and they are still pushing.
Responding, the President General of Ohuhu welfare Union, Chief Obi Aguocha pledged to consult all persons involved in the matter including the accused person, Nlewedim Goodwill Emelandu.
Chief Obi Aguocha
Chief Aguocha also promised to inform Ohuhu council of traditional rulers, the Nigeria police at the end of the matter to stop seeing Aguebi Umuagu community as an avenue to make money.
