Chief Chukwunonso Madubueze, Oduah, Oru na Igbo in Ezeanagu Ubahu Okija of Ihiala LGA, in Anambra state, has cried out over alleged intimidation by the police of Ihiala Area Command and the vigilante of Okija, a situation he described as unfortunate, going by his person and status in the community as a cabinet member of Igwe in council and the person that led the fight against unknown gunmen in Okija.
He said that he it happened one evening that someone by name Isaac, came to his house around 11pm to inform him that he has been invited by the Chief Security officer of Okija Vigilante, Mr Ben Ezeh( Ikenga Okija), a call he said he answered, but was surprised at what Mr Ben told him.
He said " On meeting Mr Ben Ezeh as early as 7 am the following day, Mr Ben asked if i don't know that he is the Chief Security officer of Okija and that since he assumed office, that have I cared to come and clean his table or pay homeage to him? That he was at his house only to see that Ihiala Area Command mobilized three sienna buses and one Hilux van, he thought it was the issue they had at Okwuumubom, but was surprised that it was to arrest me, that himself, Mr Ben told them that I am a good person and that he can vouch for my integrity that they should go"
Continuing, Chief Chukwunonso Madubueze, said that when he asked that Mr Ben who vouched for him when the police mobilized to arrest him should go with him to the police, he declined and told him that he has two options, either he went alone or be ready to stay away from the community for one year, a situation that further got him angered and confused.
He said that it's unfortunate that this is happening the third time the Ihiala Area Command has been used against him, a situation he said is no longer acceptable to him as they have tried severally to nail him to crimes he has never thought of commiting talk more of being the arrow head.
He said that " I was the one that lead all Okija custodians of culture and tradition to curse anyone who will ever think of kidnapping, stealing or intimidating people in Okija, so why me of all persons"
He therefore wondered why he should go back to his vomit to start recruiting people whom he had cursed and invited the gods of the land to do same. He said as a custodian of culture and tradition, it will be a curse and instant death on him if he ever went back to his vomit. He wondered why they wanted to frame him up in the first place as he doesn't prepare charms for anyone talk more a kidnappers which they are allegeding. He therefore called on the commissioner of police Anambra state to look into the matter and call Ihiala Area Command to order, as he has been, one of the strongest voices in the community that has condended crime.
However, prior investigation before going to the press has shown that the matter was not even reported at the police or incidented anywhere, a situation that points to the fact that some criminal elements in Ihiala have taken another route of intimidation and suppression all in a bid to make money.
Speaking with the Chief Security officer, Mr Ben Ezeh, he said, he asked Chief Madubueze to report to the police and clear his name of any wrong doing, as he knows him as a custodian of tradition and culture and not a kidnapper as was being alleged by the team that came for the arrest.
The Area Commander could not be accessed as at the time of filing this report but efforts being made to get the reaction of the Anambra Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikenga Tochukwu proved abortive as he did not take his calls or returned it. However efforts are still on to get him respond to the allegations and possibly interrogate the police officers involved, to forestall further occurrence.