By PAMELA EBOH with reports

There is trouble in Ogidi, home town of legendary writer Chinua Achebe, following the death of a youth leader while trying to evade arrest.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Haruna Mohammed, who spoke to News Express on the issue on Friday night, said: “A suspect ran to evade Police arrest and in the process fell down while trying to scale the fence.

“He died in the hospital while receiving medical attention.

“Following the incident the youth went on rampage but were peacefully dispersed and normalcy restored.

“Joint patrol is still ongoing and investigation has commenced so as to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.”

The victim, Chike Okoye, was trying to evade arrest when the police stormed his Umueze Alor village to arrest him and others over a land issue between the community and the Traditional Ruler, Igwe Alexander Uzo Onyido.

The incident, which coincided with this year’s Nwafor Ogidi annual cultural festival of the Ogidi community, occurred Thursday evening at the commencement of the week-long festivities.

Incensed by Okoye’s death, youths of Umueze Alor village made bonfires with used tyres, barricaded the ever-busy Onitsha-Enugu old road and made straight to Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital Morgue, Ogidi. They were said to have seized Okoye’s corpse and rushed to the palace of the monarch where they deposited it and dispersed.

However, the corpse was later taken back to the morgue following the intervention of concerned elders of the community.

Update news