.....Tasks the police to see to it that Justice is carried out
It was a heavy sigh of relief for the people of Atani community in Ogbaru LGA of Anambra state over the weekend, as one of the notorious criminals and self acclaimed kidnapper and ritualist by name Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene, who has been terrorizing the community was arrested by the police. There joy knew no bounds as it was a celebration of sorts, as they thanked the Commissioner of Police Anambra state, CP Itam, for coming to their aid, as he has in the past sustained his criminal endeavors by being released,through people in authority who use him to carry out their nefarious activities.
In the another development, news was said to have filtered into the community that a highly placed politician from the community in Anambra, whose sister, Nkechi Udeze is married to the apprehended and suspected criminal is making frantic efforts to see that he is let off the police hook without proper investigation and trial in a competent court.
This, the victim, Emmanuel Ossai has cried out to the police and the general public not to allow thappen as the said Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene has been the problem the community has encountered, being reason most people to go to the farms again for fear of been killed. It's also on record that the traditional ruler of the community has attested to the criminality of this culprit in writing. In a series of petitions and evidences sent to the inspector general of police in the past and signed by the HRH Igwe A A Ngoddy, Eze Ogwuike II of Atani and sighted by our Correspondent.
When our correspondent visited the community to ascertain the true situation of things, most farmers in the community, thanked the police for taking away the pain in their scrotum, they pleaded that the law should take its course as he has really dealt with them.
Most of them who for fear of being victimized, refused to have their name on record, stressing that of he returned, he will kill them as he is a dare devil robber and kidnapper who has acces to AK 47. They however applauded the police for whisking him away as he has been the major reason they don't go to their farms again. They enumerated so many of the crimes he committed without being apprehended, and said that they will be happy if the police will revisit the matter to ensure he rots in jail for the senseless killings and kidnapping, himself and family has aided in Ogbaru LGA and environs.
A community leader and a member of the AVG, who was bold to speak, Chief Augustine Obiajulu Mbanefo, said that they have taken enough of his excesses, being reason he reported the matter to the police. He said he could not bear it any longer, as he sent his boys to come and kill him and his family last year. He said that he was rounded up by the boys and his personal belongings was taken away from him which was the height of it. He recounted his experience and that of others in the hands of Chukwunweike Ogene, whom he said has killed and maimed so many people in the community, a situation that should not be allowed to continue. He said the last straw that broke the carmel's back was that the same Chukeunweike Ogene was pointed by one of the criminals that came to his house to assassinate him. An accusation he said Chukwunweike Ogene did not deny.
He went down memory lane to explain to our correspondent how the issue started. He said, this matter started with the dragging of our ancestral land or Ebo Atani land. A land that belongs to us, which the family of Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene has nothing to do with. He said " that same land was the cause of the death of Egbuna, one of their uncle whom Chukwunweike Ogene killed, because a day before we saw our brother dead in the same land, Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene threatened to kill him and squash his scrotum, and that was what exactly happened, the story was published in the sun newspaper."
Continuing, he said that since then, the said Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene has been a pain in the ass for the community. He said that even the traditional ruler of Atani community, HRH Igwe A A Ngoddy, Eze Ogwuike II on the 16th of May 2017 petitioned the inspector general of police on the attempted murder of one Emmanuel Ossai of Umu Oniha Kindred from Abilibaose village at Olienyi land in Abo Atani, the major cause of the problem in the community. This same Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene, he said poured acid on Emmanuel Ossai who is disfigured till today, as God saved his life he said. He stressed that the same family was also involved in the kidnapping and abduction of human beings for rituals in December 2015 and early April 2016, but was freed by corrupt public servants in the Anambra state police command who did not care to investigate the matter.
Chief Augustine Obiajulu Mbanefo said that he has been victimized in the community because he wants the safety of the lives and property of Atani community, being reason they blackmailed him to be an unknown gunman, a situation God vindicated him from. He said that these same syndicate planned to kill him and even sent him to the DSS, where he stayed for almost 4 months. He said that he is not fighting for his family, but for the peace and harmony of Ogbaru LGA, because anything that happens in Atani community affects the LGA and environs and also has ripple effects on the state and the South East region and outside the country too.
He further more stated that they have made their submissions to the police and will be happy to see to it that justice is served as they believe so much on the capacity of the present commissioner of police, CP Itam, to handle the situation. He said that if this is done, it will restore the sanity of Ogbaru LGA, and that of Atani and environs as this particular person and his gang are the brain behind the many kidnapping in the area.
Adding his voice, another stakeholder, who refused his name being on print in the community called on government officials to be patriotic. He said that Atani community has notable figures in the society moreso Ogbaru the LGA itself, and wondered why one person or family should terrorize the whole community. He called on the speaker of Anambra House of Assembly, RT Hon Udeze, to do the needful by not meddling im the matter, because they know that Nkechi Udeze is his sister and is married to Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene's brother. He said that have heard the boasting and name dropping going on in the village that nothing will happen but asked him to remember that whatever happens in Atani community concerns him, directly or indirectly. He therefore asked him to stop sitting on the fence and face the situation at hand, to ensure that Ogbaru LGA the food basket and the industrial hub of the state is not vacated by investors because of selfish interest he concluded.
The stakeholder went on to call on the state government to allow justice to take it's cause as this particular individual has been a bridge behind the many kidnappings and killings in Ogbaru, Ontisha and environs. He said that the said Chukwunweike Nwabueze Ogene has been on the run and if allowed to escape again will not be in the interest of Ogbaru people and Ndi Anambra in general.
When contacted the state Public Relations Officer SP Ikenga Tochukwu said that the police is still investigating the matter and will come out with a public statement on it soon.