By O’star Eze
Abba Community in Njikoka Local
Government Area has cried out against the alleged incessant arrest of its
indigenes by the Nigeria Police. The community claimed that the arrests were aftermaths
of a protest its members conducted, June 19, 2019, stemming from a land dispute
with Ukpo community.
According to some Abba indigenes who
spoke to press on the basis of anonymity, the arrests were part of a grand ploy to create fear in the community and intimidate them to relinquish
their inheritance to their neighbors.
In their words," The way the police has been arresting our people since we protested is not fair. We gathered that the Ukpo people provide the police with list of our people ot arrest. They are doing this to cow us into relinquishing our inheritance. Three persons were arrested two weeks after
the protest on July 3.
“One of them was a widow from Ire
Village, Mrs Nkechi Okafor-Meluba who was arrested at her shop. There was also Mr
David Umeano of Okpuloji Village and Mr Samuel Okafor of Ire Village who were
arrested and taken to Abuja but were brought back days after,” the sources
claimed.
Continuing, the Abba indigenes said
that that the arrested persons were charged with conspiracy, attempted murder
and engaging in acts capable of causing breach of public peace.
In their words, “The charge sheet of
the arrested persons bore Conspiracy, attempted murder, engaging in acts
capable of causing breach of public peace and obstructing court bailiff from
enforcing court judgment.
"On the 17th of July, two weeks
after, the persons were granted bail after being arraigned at Magistrate Court,
Ukpo.
"The most recent, is the case of
Hon Obinna Chukwuma, a former Counsellor from Abba who was arrested on the 19th
of July at Ukpo where he went to purchase some items for his business. His crime was simply speaking up against the
injustice being meted out to our people.
“Recall that Hon Chukwuma's wife was
among the first 14 persons arrested. He also spoke clearly in appeal to the
state government to come to our rescue when our people took our problem to the
State Government House in Awka. That's his crime and we wonder why.
“Honourable Chukwuma has been
transferred to Abuja from the state command,” the sources said.
According to them, more names in the
community have been penciled down for arrest.
A visit to the parcel of land in
question showed that all signposts bearing Abba Junction, Njikoka LGA have been
replaced with those with Ukpo, Dunukofia LGA. There was also a heavy presence
of operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in the area.
It was also gathered that since the June
19 protest, Abba women have not traded in the Oye Abba market for fear of being
arrested.
Explaining the position of the police
on the matter to the press, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang stated
that the presence of police was in line with standard procedure of the force
whereby policemen are deployed to perceived areas of conflict to avoid
breakdown of law and order.
In his words, "the Abba-Ukpo
Land dispute is one of the easiest in our hands now. It is just a matter of two
communities with different court positions. We are working on something now and
in no distant time, we will invite both parties and put an end to this issue.
It will be addressed."
It would be recalled that Ukpo
Community had won a court case over the ownership of the land but when the
matter got to the Supreme Court, it was found that records of the proceedings
were missing.
In January this year, the Supreme
Court gave its position on the matter where it said that "any judgement
that records of proceedings are missing from the trial court, cannot be
enforced".
It therefore directed both
communities to go back to the trial court.
The matter was slated for opening at
the State High Court, One, Awka on the 8th of July, but was adjourned till
Friday, the 26th of July, 2019.
