Tension has gripped the people of Uwani Otobo, Umuezike community in Aku, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State following the demolition of a house belonging to a 65-year-old visually impaired man, Anibeze Nnadi, by hoodlums suspected to be hired, thugs.
Mr. Nnadi, who spoke to Vanguard amidst tears at the scene of the incident on Friday said those behind the pulling down of his two-bedroom bungalow were his enemies who want him dead to claim his property as the only surviving child of the family.
The victim who is not yet married and without a child explained that “It was out of pity that one Mr. Okechukwu Ezeamagu asked me to show him a place so that he can build a house for me because the present place I am living is one-room mud house with a leaking roof.
“I heard that our traditional ruler, HRH, Igwe Christopher Okwor, is laying claims to the land, telling people that it belongs to him, but it is a complete lie.
“It is because I am blind, poor and the only male surviving child in my own immediate family that he wants to take away my ancestral land from me.
“I call on government and spirited individuals in the society to come to my rescue by ensuring that my ancestral land is not forcefully taken away from me because l am poor and blind,” he said.
The eldest man in the community who identified himself as Sylvester Okpe, while reacting to the development, told Vanguard that he has visited the scene of the incident with his Elders-in-Council. He added that they were shocked to discover the level of damage done to the poor man’s residence, assuring that the perpetrators would not go unpunished.
When contacted, the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Okwor, said he knew about the incident through a phone call.
He said “You asked if I knew about the demolished house built by Ezemagu people in my compound. The answer is yes. I knew about it through phone calls. The disputed area is in Court with Suit No: OG/7/2019, filed by Ezemagu family who turned around to commence building on the said land while the matter is in court. I knew about this demolished building through the call from HR H Igwe C O Ochi.”
While confirming this report, the spokesperson of Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe said the Command received a report on the demolished building and has commenced an investigation.
“A case of alleged malicious damage of a two-bedroom flat at Uwani-Otobo Umuezike Aku in Igbo-Etiti LGA, reported on 17/09/2021 is being investigated.”
Vanguard.