The people of Otoko, Isuanaocha Community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have vowed to drag their former chairman, Paulinus Onyeagolu, to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for allegedly failing to render his account of leadership after three years.

The threat was made by the chairman of the Community for Peace, Chief Donatus Okeke, who was selected by the daughters and in-laws to help restore peace in the leadership crisis that has eaten deep in the community.

He harped on the importance of rendering account of steward after the expiration of one’s tenure adding that N21.5m worth of economic trees located at Ofia Ori Forest were cut, hewed and sold off without the consent of the people.

In his words: “How can the Onyeagolu and their cohorts move into a common forest and sell off the economic trees there without our consent? We will not take that from them any longer.

“Their son, Paulinus Onyeagolu, resigned as chairman of the community after three years instead of four years as stipulated in the constitution and personally tendered his resignation letter without rendering account of stewardship and now he wants to come back again as chairman.

“He should render account first and all those who headed the community after him should do same because we are preparing to take them to EFCC to recover our wealth they took as theirs including the proceeds from the sold economic trees that included Iroko, mahogany and other trees.

“This, their brother who is based in Ghana wants to be piloting the affairs of the community from there and we said no that he cannot impose leadership on us by trying to bring back former chairman, Paulinus Onyeagolu and that is the problem here.”

Chief Okeke, called on Governor Willie Obiano to come to their rescue, saying that the Onyeagolu family thinks that the chairmanship position in the community is their birth-right.

Okeke noted that when police waded into the matter recently, the family through Anthony Onyeagolu accused the police of bias.

He maintained that police should be allowed to do their duty in the interest of peace.

•Photo shows Governor Obiano.

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