By MONDAY AJOGUN

The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), has cried out, demanding justice for its late former President, Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme.

Akaneme was alleged to have died due to complications that arose from spinal cord injuries inflicted on him by officials of Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWMA) on revenue drive.

The President of ONICCIMA, Mr. Augustine Ibeme, in a statement on Thursday in Onitsha, made the feeling of the chamber know to the public.

According to Ibeme, ONICCIMA received with complete and utter sadness, the news of the death of Akaneme.

He said that the news of his death was more tragic, given the circumstances that led to his untimely demise.

?Akaneme was said to have been attacked in his living room on Oct. 11, 2024, in the pretext of revenue enforcement, whose encounter left him paralyzed from around his shoulders down and hospitalized for an entire nine months.

?We acknowledge the fact that the Anambra government assisted the Akaneme?s family financially while he was hospitalized.

?ONICCIMA urged the state government to further pay compensation to the family, who are reportedly indebted to the hospitals that treated Akaneme and other financiers to the tune of over N40 million?, he said

Ibeme noted that ONICCIMA demands justice for their former president to its full extent, adding that his family had reported the incident to the police and also petitioned the relevant authorities seeking justice.

He further revealed that those involved were yet to be charged to court.

He stressed that this was a clear case of homicide as Akaneme died directly as a result of the injuries he sustained in the hands of these lawless executioners.

?The circumstances surrounding Akaneme?s death should compel a rethink of government?s revenue drive methodologies, with a view to shedding off the ?Killer Squad?.

?The police authorities and other security agencies should strictly enforce their code of conduct with a view to stamping out illegal and unprofessional policing/operations by its rank and file?, he added.

He noted that it would enable the agencies earned the confidence of the public and make their work easier.

When contacted, Police Command in Anambra, through its Spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said that he was not aware of any police personnel that accompanied revenue agency to Akaneme?s residence.

?I have no such information before now and there was no police officer attached to any revenue agency that I am aware of,? he said.

When asked about the claim by the president of ONICCIMA, that the family of late Akaneme had petitioned police on the matter, Ikenga said that he was not aware if such petition was before the command.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Anambra Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Felix Odumegwu, failed as he did not pick his phone calls nor respond to the text message sent to his phone. (NAN)

Update news