Jideofor Okongwu, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Anaocha Branch, Anambra State, has alleged threat to his life by some cultists from Enugwu Village, Adazi Enu area of the state.
Okongwu, who is also the chairman of the village, further raised the alarm on the “illegal” and “unlawful” arrest and detention of some members of the community vigilante group by officers of the police force.
He added that a notorious cultist group, in possession of pistols and daggers, had stormed the venue where the community was holding its ‘Iri ji’ ceremony late last year, assaulting and robbing members of their valuables and subsequently held him hostage for over three hours and thereafter, started threatening his life.
He alleged that the attack was instigated by one Chief Lawrence Arinze, whom he said, has been parading himself as the traditional ruler of the community, whom he was not.
In the petition, Okongwu stated that the traditional ruler of Adazi-Enu, Igwe Alphonsus Okpalaechelu, on August 21, 2021, after performing the Iwaji ceremony, asked all the Chairmen of the six villages to go and perform the ceremony in their various villages.
He added that the next day, being the day the community agreed to mark their own ‘Iri ji’ceremony, he was on the ground to supervise the activities in preparation for the arrival of the guests when the suspected cultists stormed the venue with three vehicles and dangerous weapons and ordered those who were arranging things for the ceremony to immediately vacate the venue.
He said, “They approached me and ordered me to immediately vacate the venue or else they will deal with me and as I was trying to find out what was happening, they forcefully collected the two wireless microphones.
“I was threatened, assaulted and held hostage while the cult boys dismantled the equipment, scattered the chairs and declared that the event will not hold and can never hold.”
Okongwu said although a report was lodged with the police over the incident and some persons were arrested they were released after soliciting for settlement.
He accused the police of turning around to start arresting the members of the community vigilante group, calling them “unknown gunmen”.
The former NBA chapter chairman said, “After some of the suspects in the above petition were arrested and granted bail, a date was fixed for interview and on the date of interview, the suspects pleaded for settlement and the police gave us two weeks to settle and before the two weeks elapsed, the suspects wrote a counter petition to Zone 13, Ukpo, Anambra State.
“The next thing the suspects did was to engage the services of a DSP from Zone 13, Ukpo, Anambra State, who started working with them and he started arresting the witnesses that made statements to the police at the Anti-cult Enugwu Ukwu and at the Inspector General of Police annex office at Enugu.
“I was making several efforts to secure the release on bail of our people that were illegally arrested until on the February 4, 2022, when two plain-clothed men and two Armed police officers busted into my office without my permission and demanded that I should follow them to Zone 13, Ukpo.
“I was surprised because I have not met them before I demanded for their identity but they refused to disclose their identity only to tell me that I should follow them to Zone 13, Ukpo and that I am wanted there by the police.
“I demanded that they give me an invitation that I will come and see them later that I was attending to my clients but they refused and told me that if I refused to follow them, they will take me by force.
“I still insisted that I will not go with them unless they produce an arrest warrant and one of the police officers whom I later learnt came from the F.I.B Abuja, produced a purported arrest warrant from a magistrate court at the F.CT Abuja and showed it to me telling me that it is the arrest warrant that gave them powers to effect my arrest.
“It was the same person, whose name is Ikenna Ezeume, who brought cult boys to attack me on the 22/8/2021 that brought those police officers to my office.
“It was when I saw him with the police officers that I sensed danger and I started informing my colleagues and it was when some of my colleagues came to my office that we followed the police officers to zone 13 Ukpo, Anambra.
“The said Mr ikenna Ezeume told the police officers that I should be detained inside the police cell as they have a mission to fulfill. The said police officer from the F.I.B Abuja prepared a detention warrant and gave the DCP to sign so that they will keep me in detention.
“But before their evil intentions will be fulfilled, a well respected individual intervened by contacting the leadership of the police force and I was released and asked to report at the D.I.G Egbunike office on the 14/2/2022.
“On the said 14/2/2022, I was privileged to meet the DIG Egbunike who interviewed me and after obtaining information from me, he promised that he will ensure that justice is done in the matter.”
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