?Activist battles to recover vehicle, other property from Anambra police

Gunmen believed to be loyalists of Finland-based Biafra activist Simon Ekpa have attacked family and staff of foremost human rights activist, Emeka Umeagbalasi, twice in one week. Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), gave details of the attacks in a statement issued yesterday, Sunday, December 15, 2024 in Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria.

Jointly signed with Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam Esquire, Head, Campaign and Publicity at Intersociety, the statement disclosed that the attacks took place at Arondizuogu, Imo State, and Aguata, Anambra State, on November 27 and December 5, 2024 respectively. The statement gave the following details about the attacks:

Account of the first attack

Emeka Umeagbalasi?s late Father in-law, Maazi Edwin Ohia of Obioha-Ohia Family in Akaeme Ohia-Uchu, Arondizuogu, was interred on Friday, November 29, 2024, and as customs and tradition demand, Umeagbalasi had plans to be accompanied to his in-law?s place by his selected friends, well-wishers and family members to pay his last respect. On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, his Mitsubishi Hilux 200, bearing the official logo and name of the Intersociety was snatched at gunpoint by armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators along a bush path close to ?the Umunze-Ihite Army Checkpoint? at Umunze in Orumba South of Anambra State. Vehicles were blocked by soldiers from making use of the Umunze-Ihite-Ndiokoliorji-Arondizuogu-Okigwe Road and forced to use a bush path by the right side of the Army Checkpoint; thereby exposing some road users to attacks by armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators. It was a result of the above that Emeka Umeagbalasi?s long-time friend-driver and in-law, Comrade Chike Umeh, was nearly shot and killed by a gang of armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators and was forced at gunpoint to drop the car keys and run non-stop for his dear life, which he did and ended up at the Ihite-Umunze Army Checkpoint manned by Commissioned Officer Hayina Akila Phibiger.

Comrade Chike Umeh, who is also Assistant Secretary of the Anambra State branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) and an Intersociety volunteer, was later assisted by soldiers at the Ihite-Umunze Army Checkpoint to connect to and speak with the Intersociety Leader (Emeka Umeagbalasi); after which the matter was reported at Ajali Police Divisional Command before late night of the same day. Efforts to report the matter to Umunze Police Divisional Command as lawfully required, failed following the recent burning down of the Umunze Police Station by armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators.

It is further informed that the Intersociety Leader?s Friend-Driver (Comrade Chike Umeh) was heading back to Onitsha at about 4.30pm after dropping the wife of the Intersociety Boss (Sister Blessing), her younger sister, Chidinma, other family members and their luggage when the Mitsubishi Hilux was snatched from him at gunpoint. It is also very important to point out that what saved the Friend-Driver from being shot and killed was the ?Human Rights Identity? of the vehicle. The vehicle was also saved from being burnt to ashes or set ablaze because of the above. The snatched vehicle was zoomed off toward Okigwe by the armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators, during which it was rough-driven, forcing it to stop moving and was left in the hands of the armed Counterfeit Biafra agitators.

The ?Human Rights Identity? of the vehicle not only saved it from being set ablaze and burnt to ashes but also made its safe return possible. As a matter of fact, the vehicle was saved by one of the local boys in Arondizuogu that saw when the vehicle entered the Intersociety Leader?s father in-law?s compound earlier in the day. The local boy had hurried to the Intersociety Leader?s late father in-law?s compound and alerted his eldest son and his siblings who joined him in recovering the vehicle and towing it to safety at the hours of the blue law on Wednesday, Nov 27, 2024.

The vehicle, upon its recovery, refused to start, owing to rough-driving gone through; leading to the armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators seizing it again and insisted that ?they must be settled for the funeral to peacefully take place and for the vehicle to be released?. The Intersociety Leader?s father in-law?s children later negotiated and parted with N250,000 to recover the vehicle and do their father?s funeral safely.

Worthy of mention is the fact that through great assistance rendered by the leader of the Umunze-Ihite Army Checkpoint, Commissioned Officer Hayina Akila Phibiger, a safe passage was granted to the entourage of the Intersociety Leader, number over 50, including two members of the Ezinifite Igwe-in-Council (Ndichie) and a Professor of Law to make use of the blocked road for the funeral that eventually took place on Friday, November 29, 2024. The Nigerian Army had informed the Intersociety Leader that they blocked the road to prevent fleeing armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators being pursued by Nigerian security forces (NSFs) from Okigwe axis. Those that accompanied the Intersociety Leader to the funeral have since returned to their respective destinations unhurt and safely.

Account of the second attack

On Thursday, December 5, 2024, between 7.30am and 8am; barely seven days after the said funeral took place at Akaeme-Ohiauchu in Arondizuogu, the Mitsuhashi Hilux was snatched for the second time at gunpoint by another group of armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators. The car snatching incident took place at Ezinifite (Amaekwulu) Roundabout in Ezinifite-Aguata when the Intersociety Leader?s spouse, Blessing, 44; her son, Chimdiebube, 4; house-girl, Somtochukwu Okafor, 13; and their longtime Friend-Driver, Comrade Chike Umeh, 55; were returning to Onitsha from Enuama-Ifite in Ezinifite, Aguata, Anambra State. The Family members had returned to Ezinifite from Arondizuogu the previous day (Wednesday, December 4, 2024) following the completion of the funeral of the Intersociety Leader?s Father in-law.

Domestic items in the snatched vehicle

They included luggage such as two big traveling bags, a mattress, coolers for food, lady?s bags, necklaces, jewelries, an Infinix smart phone, children?s clothes and foot wears, lady?s wears, ear-rings, ATMs, identity cards (including voters? cards and national identity cards), teachers? promotional exam materials, exam papers, ten kegs of up-wine and raffia wine, cash of over N250,000 (belonging to the wife of the intersociety Leader) and cash of over N150,000 belonging to Chidinma Obioha (Emeka Umeagbalasi?s wife?s younger sister); all realized at their father?s funeral, as well as other valuable items. There was also a big electric generator inside the vehicle?s boot.

The vehicle (Mitsubishi Hilux 200) was snatched as it was heading back to Onitsha via Ezinifite-Igboukwu Road. All members of Emeka Umeagbalasi?s nuclear family and his longtime friend, in-law and driver, Comrade Chike Umeh were forced out of the vehicle at gunpoint and flattened, with their faces down on the sand amidst raining of bullets. As if that was not enough, the armed Counterfeit Biafra agitators pointed corked AK-47s at Comrade Chike Umeh and forced him to drop the car keys; during which he bravely told them that ?the car is Human Rights vehicle?; with one of the gun-pointers telling him: ?don?t worry, you will see the car soon?. The armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators also snatched other private vehicles on the spot including an SUV Prado Jeep, another jeep and other private cars and abducted their occupants, after which they made a U-turn and sped off and headed toward Uga-Amesi-Umuchu axis amid war-grade shootings and shouting of ?Biafra or Nothing!!!?. The matter was reported at the Ekwulobia Police Divisional Command by Comrade Chike Umeh, about two hours after the attack on Thursday, December 5, 2024.

While Emeka Umeagbalasi?s nuclear family members graciously ended up unhurt, they were terrified and traumatized especially his boy-son of just four years of age. The armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators also operated for more than eight hours; from about 7.30am-8am in the morning to about 4pm in the evening; holding about nine communities of Aguata, Orumba South and Orumba North under siege including Ezinifite, Ekwulobia, Isuofia, Igboukwu, Uga, Amesi, Umuchu, Umunze and Ajali. Soldiers spoken to by the Intersociety Leader, who monitored the development from his Onitsha base averred that the hoodlums (armed Counterfeit Agitators) later escaped with their abducted victims and vehicles toward Umunze-Owerre-Ezukala-Ogboji axis into Imo State.

After about seven hours later, a call came from one of the Intersociety Leader?s cousins' wives living in Jos (Sister Ebere Umeagu) that a friend to friend of hers who traveled home to Umuchu and was heading back to Jos saw the snatched Mitsubishi Hilux parked and abandoned along Ezinifite-Uga-Amesi-Umuchu Road, Umuchu; prompting the Intersociety Leader to immediately signal and dispatch his kid-brother, Ebuka and domestic assistant, Obinna to take a Keke drop to Umuchu in search of the car, during which they met the Commander of the Umuchu Vigilante Group who confirmed the abandonment of the Mitsubishi Hilux.

The local VG Commander further informed that the vehicle was handed over to the Umuchu Police Divisional Officer (DPO, Umuchu, Adeyemi Lateef) who ordered the vehicle to be taken to the Division?s portion at the Uga Police Area Command Headquarters where it is presently parked since the evening of Thursday, December 5, 2024. The Intersociety Leader also spoke with Divisional Crime Officer of the Division, Superintendent of Police Samuel Okolo on Saturday, December 7, 2024, during which they had useful interaction; with the DCO assuring him of the safety of the family items kept inside the vehicle.

The Intersociety?s attention was also drawn to the official statement issued by the Anambra State Police Command over the issue, dated Saturday, December 7, 2024; titled: ?Anambra: Two Injured as Police, Hoodlums Engage in Gun Duel?. The statement quoted SUPOL Tochukwu Ikenga, Anambra State Police image maker as saying: ?In the late hours of Thursday, December 5, 2024, the Anambra State Joint Security Team intercepted armed men on the Umuchu-Amesi-Uga Road and recovered a stolen blue Hilux vehicle, plate number GDD 440 TJ, believed to have been taken from an unsuspecting member of the public. During a search of the vehicle, coolers for food preservation were found?.

Source: Anambra: Two Injured as Police, Hoodlums Engage in Gun Duel

Armed counterfeit Biafra agitators at work

Further facts provided by Criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi over the matter clearly pointed strong accusing fingers at armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators. The attackers had during their first attack along the Ihite-Arondizuogu bush-path, openly identified themselves as ?loyalists of the Biafran Prime Minister? fighting for ?Biafran Independence?. The armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators are also found to have laid siege and terrorized the communities of Umunze, Ihite, Ndiokoliorji, Arondizuogu, Obinaetiti, Okigwe and environs; joined by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and other violent criminal entities.

At Ezinifite-Aguata Roundabout on Thursday, December 5, 2024; the armed group members, numbering over fifteen also openly shouted ?Biafra or Nothing !!!? amid war-grade shootings and raining of bullets. It is also our strong suspicion that the missing Retired Archbishop of the Nnewi Province of the Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Prof Godwin Okpala, his driver and their Prado Jeep might have gone missing during the shooting spree and parade of the said Thursday, Dec 5, 2024, in the hands of the armed Counterfeit Biafra Agitators who are likely to have taken them into captivity.

Anambra CP written to release the recovered vehicle and domestic items therein

Both the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law and her Lawyers led by Prof Josephat Ubanyinowu of Prof C.J. Ubanyionwu and Co. of 68 Limca Road, Nkpor, Anambra State have written to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police (COMPOL Itam Nnaghe), seeking for the release of the snatched vehicle and domestic items in its custody prior to its snatching. The Intersociety had on Friday, December 13, 2024, submitted letters to the office of the State Commissioner of Police. The Intersociety lawyers? letter, dated December 13, 2024; and the Intersociety?s letter (containing facts of the matter), bearing same date, were physically submitted by erudite Prof Josephat Ubanyionwu himself. The lawyers had first visited the Umuchu Divisional Police Command, domiciled in the headquarters of the Aguata Area Command on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, from where they were referred to the State Command Headquarters at Awka. The Intersociety leaders also in the early morning of Sunday, December 15, 2024, uploaded the electronic copies of their referenced letters on the WhatsApp numbers of the State COMPOL (Itam Nnaghe) and the Command?s PPRO (SUPOL Ikenga Tochukwu).

Apart from demanding for the release of the recovered vehicle and its immediate and unconditional return to its owners (Intersociety and its boss), we also demanded for safety and intactness of all domestic items contained therein and as listed above. It is further recalled that the Anambra State Police Command had on Saturday, December 7, 2024, issued official statement over the issue; titled: ?Anambra: Two Injured as Police, Hoodlums Engage in Gun Duel?. The statement quoted SUPOL Tochukwu Ikenga, the Command?s image maker (PPRO) as saying: ?In the late hours of Thursday, December 5, 2024, the Anambra State Joint Security Team intercepted armed men on the Umuchu-Amesi-Uga Road and recovered a stolen blue Hilux vehicle, plate number GDD 440 TJ, believed to have been taken from an unsuspecting member of the public. During a search of the vehicle, coolers for food preservation were found?.

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