*nearly disrupt the State Exco meeting
There was a mild drama at the Awka Government House yesterday when the embattled Lilu community in Ihiala Local Government Area stormed the seat of government in protest of what they described as series of spurious arrests of their prominent sons and daughters by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the state Police Command.
The protesters numbering about two hundred and carrying various placards with inscriptions like “Police don’t allow politicians trick your trigger in Lilu”, “Commissioner for Local Government and Town Union Matters don’t set Anambra communities ablaze”, “Gov Obiano wake up, ur officers/aides are working actively for your downfall in communities”, told reporters that they came to expose to the governor and the whole world the antics of few never- do well in their community. The individuals, (names withheld), according to their spokesperson, Chief Nathan Amaragwam had instigated the police(SARS) with spurious petitions against all illustrious citizens of the community who did not support their selfish moves to seize the traditional and administrative leaderships of the community.
According to Chief Amaragwam who addressed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Chief Ikechukwu Onyeabor in the presence of all the protesters, he accused a group led by one Barth Awugosi, Boniface Ezelefanya, John Umeartuenyi, etc of stoking crisis in the community.
This persons, he pointed took the community to court seeking for election to produce the town Union leadership. That while the matter progressed dislike fly in the court, they went back to the state government, manipulated them into appointing them Caretaker committee of the community.
Seeing that they succeeded, they then abandoned the suit, apparently because they had indirectly secured the leadership of the community which was clearly their original aim and drive.
Unfortunately the majority of the community disagreed with them and they continued holding meeting and imposing unacceptable policies on the people. And when some youths demanded form them, fracas broke out.
Amaragwam, a septuagenarian told representative of the governor that their protest was to avert more uprising which may involve life. That duty of elders in any society was to guide citizens aright.
Another leader, Chief Nnabugwu Olikagu accused Awugosi and others of masterminding spurious petitions to security agencies against a prominent law abiding natives of Lilu with a view to cowering and intimidating the community to enable them unleash mayhem, impunity and lawlessness on the community. That already three people-two men and a lady had earlier been arrested and detained.
He raised alarm that 14 new persons have been shortlisted for arrest, but that all citizens want to be arrested and detained with these new list.
He disclosed that it was criminal for anyone to manipulate a clear community leadership disagreement to become a criminal matter .
The Governor reassured them of his commitment towards settling their matters soonest. That it was already receiving attention and that their community election would hold soon.