The family of Israel Ubah, comprising Edith Ubah, Faith Ubah, and Moses Chukwudi Onwueme, residents of Ogurugu community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and ensure their safety.

They claim that their lives are in danger due to the looting and burning of their homes and businesses by certain individuals in the community.

The family alleged that influential members of the community are hindering the investigation and prosecution of the suspects, forcing them to seek refuge in neighbouring villages and communities.

They urge the IGP to take prompt action to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure their safety.

Speaking with some journalists in Enugu on Monday, Israel Ubah, one of the victims decried that all his businesses had been destroyed and houses including that of his relations and in-laws had been burnt down by some youths of the community sponsored by one Adejor Joseph Ezeagwu, based in Germany.

He alleged that the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Emmanuel Egwuaba, led the youth to demolition, looting and burning of his businesses and houses because of hatred for him because he refused to agree to the illegal acquisition of his family landed property by his allies.

Ubah alleged that his family members have been chased out of the community for committing no offence since May 29, 2024, when the arson happened, using the pretence that he killed a member of the community who was shot and later died over an alleged robbery in another community by security agents who were trying to arrest him.

In a petition to the IGP through the legal firm of Ahretti & Associates, dated 20th July 2024, the petitioners listed 31 names of the people who allegedly participated in the arson and looting of their properties.

The petition which was written through the Assistant Inspector General, Nigerian Police Force Criminal Investigation Department, Enugu Annex, and signed by

Marcel Odigbo Esq. was titled “Petition for Immediate Transfer of a Case of Conspiracy, Arson, Stealing of N450 Million, Malicious Damage, Robbery, Attempted Murder and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace from State CID Enugu.”

Ubah narrated, “On 29th March, 2024, there is one Omaliwi Nwagene a cousin brother to Adejor Joseph Ezeagwu, who is based in Germany and a member of Igwe’s family. This young man stole my timber wood worth about N1.6 million and I reported him to the police and to the Neighbourhood Watch in Ogurugu community. He then ran away and went to Adani, a neighbouring village.

“He was hiding from one place to another. When he ran to Adani, he mobilised a stealing gang again and they went and broke into people’s shops at Adani market one of the suspects was arrested and he mentioned his name. The police consequently, asked the neighbourhood watch of Adani community to get him arrested.

“Unfortunately, on the 29th of May at about 5 am, Adani Neighbourhood Watch went to arrest him but in his attempt to escape, there was a gunshot from the security men which got him, but he ran away, instead of going to the hospital he ran to a nearby village in Kogi State where they removed the bullets locally.

“He was there and gave up the ghost. Adejor in Germany was informed, and the Igwe summoned their foot soldiers through the town crier and informed them that Isreal Ubah killed Igwe’s cousin – Omaliwi Nwagene and they should take the deceased body to my house, destroy and kill everything found. The whole youth of the village and other villagers joined the team. They arrived at my shop at the market square in the village, demolished the shop, evacuated some of my properties and my goods set some of them ablaze and parked some to their various homes. Over 50 cartons of agrochemicals in the shop were looted.

“They left from that shop to my village where I built a house for my aged mother and burnt it. My mother escaped from being burnt alive in the house by miracle. They moved from that place to my brother-in-law, looted his property and burnt his motorcycle and his house. They moved from that place to my own house where I am living with my family and burnt down my house with property after looting some valuables.

“Some of the things they looted and burnt down are ‘6 bedroom flat, two motorcycles worth ₦2.5 million, three fans worth ₦100,000.00, 10 solar pumping machines worth ₦450,000.00, 30 gallons of palm oil worth ₦600,000.00, cash of ₦10 million, 30 bags of 100-kilogram of rice seedling, worth of ₦4 million, furniture worth ₦3 million, foams worth of ₦300,000.00; three generators worth ₦500,000.00k. They also looted and burnt down some goods in my shop which include two freezers worth ₦500,000.00, 30 cartons of beer worth ₦210,000.00, 5 crates of mineral valued at ₦250,000.00, 6 crates of malt – ₦60,000.00, 8 crates of small stout – ₦120,000.00. Other goods like milk, biscuits, energy drinks, hot drinks, indomie, groundnut oil and other items, worth ₦47 million, cash of ₦3 million, two POS machines.

“They also burnt my mother’s house (four-bedroom flat) while the old woman was inside the building, but escaped with the mercy of God through the back door. What I laboured for for years was looted and razed down, including ₦200,000.00 she kept in the house and items like garri, rice, cloth kitchen utensils and others.

“Moses Chukwudi Onwueme, the chairman of the neighbourhood watch Ogurugu community was not left behind by the Igwe and his gang of criminals, who continue to terrorise the community and made it inhabitable for his subjects and strangers. On the same date 29th May 2024, the assailants burnt down his building with all he laboured for in his life, including cash of ₦2 million he kept for farming and they did not stop there, they went as far as burning down the entire Ogurugu neighbouring security house and catered away the ammunition and other security equipment in the building.”

Stated that after he managed with his family members to escape, he reported the matter to the police at Adani Division.

He averred that efforts by the police in Adani Division to arrest the suspects were restrained before he petitioned the State Criminal Investigation Department, Enugu and the matter was moved from Adani to Enugu.

He added, “With the help of the detective at the SCID, we arrested three of the suspects – Samuel Okeke, Chito Onyebuchi with Monday Abunne.

“The Igwe was invited to come along with other names in the petition. He only came with Denis Uba, both of who participated in the demolition of my buildings. After obtaining a statement at the SCID, there was pressure from Adejor, calling the DCP, calling everyone in the SCID. Dennis Uba, who is the President-General of the community and Igwe Emmanuel was granted bail and they left. After about five days they promised to report back to SCID with other suspects, instead, they were looking for me to kill and wrote a petition to Zone 13, so that the case at the SCID would be hijacked.

“From Zone 13, Police were mobilised and were looking for me everywhere, before I wrote a petition to IG and it was directed to be handled by Force CID Enugu Annex. Following the petition, the Force Annex went to SCID and took the case file. On arrival of this matter to FCID, I don’t know what happened, the statements of the complainant were not finished taken and we were invited to Force CID only for the suspects who had been arrested and detained by SCID to be given bail immediately.

“Thereafter, the Igwe, PG and others were invited to FCID without my notice. Before I knew it they were given bail too. The police after releasing all the suspects, another investigating team from FCID came to the scene of the crime and saw everything that happened.”

He, however, lamented that “while the investigating officers were writing their report after investigation, the same Adejor called the Force Headquarters and they started calling the FCID Enugu Annex to transfer the matter to Abuja, without allowing them to conclude their investigation.

He added, “When we were invited on August 29, for the final interview by the AIG, Igwe was asked to bring all the suspects – those that have been granted bail and even those still at large, because two of his children were part of the gang that looted and burnt my house, including him. Igwe could come along with the PG and was giving flimsy excuses to the AIG. On that ground, the AIG ordered the OC that the two suspects present – Igwe and PG should be detained and charged to court, while the surety of the suspects who didn’t come should go and provide them.

“In a twinkle of an eye, there was a directive from the Abuja police that the case file should be taken away from the IPO and be given to a new person. Within a second those detained for arraignment were granted bail. Which means anybody can do whatever he likes and be moving on the road without any accountability.”

When the traditional ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Egwuaba, was contacted for reaction, he accepted that the incident happened, but claimed that he was not at home when it happened and therefore cannot be held responsible for the actions of others.

He said, “I went for burial at my in-law in Kogi State. I was still on my way when I got a call from the Police Area Commander informing me about what was going on in my community. He asked me to return and I came back. The properties in question had been destroyed. The neighbourhood watch Ogurugu office that was burnt I mobilised funds and reconstructed it.

“I didn’t ask anyone to loot and burn some people’s property because I hate them.”

When he was asked why he worked to have those arrested released, the monarch said, “I was involved in the petition and other people worked for my release.”

He, however, noted that the mother of the deceased Nwagene told him that his son before he passed on told them that Israel Ubah was the person who sent the neighbourhood watch that came and shot him.

The Igwe added, “Because I wasn’t around when the incident happened, when I returned I invited all the elders to hear from them what happened. The community subsequently set up a committee to look into the matter and make peace, since the person who died had died and properties had been destroyed.”

Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the said Adejor were unsuccessful as he neither picked up his calls nor responded to text messages in his WhatsApp as at the time of filing this report.

The Force Police Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also could not take his calls and had yet to respond to a text message sent to him. (The PUNCH)

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