Head of Local Government Administration, Anambra East Local Government Area, Anambra State, Mr Chike Obuekwe, JP, has been transferred out of the council area after he was beaten up by the Transition Committee Chairman, Hon. Pius Ifeadi.

The transfer by the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission Chairman, Dr Peter Egenti, came while Obuekwe was expecting action on a petition he wrote against Ifedi, who reportedly boasted that nothing would happen as he is Governor Willie Obiano’s ‘brother’. The unelected council boss was equally reported to have boasted that Obiano ordered a stop to further investigation of the matter as he (Ifedi) contributed to the Governor’s election. This reporter could not confirm the allegations.

A petition to the Nigerian Police Commissioner, Anambra State Command, by Obuekwe’s lawyer Gab Muoneke Esq of Udoka Chambers, Awka, narrated how his client was molested for uncovering fraudulent activities, in particular, the diverting of the council’s internally generated revenue (IGR) under Ifeadi’s watch.

Obuekwe had in a petition intimated the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission about the molestation. However, rather than get the justice he was seeking, Obuekwe was suddenly transferred out.

Obuekwe’s petition obtained from the Local Government Service Commission alleged that since he wrote a memo to Ifeadi on his observations of diversion of daily IGR by his men –

to which he got no response – the council boss had seen him as an enemy and had constantly abused him orally.

The petition to the police reads in part: “In the course of the discharge of my duties, I discovered that a lot of illegal collections were going on particularly around the waterways by some people who were agents of the Transition Committee Chairman and I did my best to curtail some illegal collections. I attach some proofs of those illegal collections and I mark same Annexure B.”

Obuekwe alleged that a Pontoon belonging to the council area was sold under suspicious circumstances. The Pontoon is now domiciled in Anambra River.

On how he got his head broken, Obuekwe said that Ifeadi invited him to his office to discuss issues of booklets printed allegedly at high cost and birth certificate without ‘East’ as a prefix. He said that after explaining his part, he informed Ifeadi that fraud could be traced in some activities authorised from his office and not the workers. Obuekwe said that at this juncture the council boss ordered him out of his office, but before he could turn and go, he removed his shoe and hit him severally, breaking his head and shoulder.

Obuekwe was rushed to COOU Teaching Hospital and was admitted for three days. He reportedly informed Governor Obiano and the Local Government Service Commission Chairman, Dr Egenti, of his ordeal but was ignored.

The embattled Head of Local Government Administration had appealed to the Governor and Local Government Service Commission Boss that the issues be satisfactorily and critically addressed, especially the physical assault on him occasioning bodily harm that could have led to his death. He also appealed for a thorough investigation into the activities of Ifeadi as Transition Committee Chairman.

Members of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Anambra East led by Comrade Victor Udealor have protested the attack on Obuekwe.

When contacted, Ifeadi admitted that he broke Obuekwe’s head but that the issue has been resolved as he has apologised to the victim and council workers over the incident.

Ifeadi denied having a hand in Obuekwe’s sudden transfer. He did not speak on the issues of fraud raised by Obuekwe and other sundry allegations like boasting that he would break his head and nothing would happen as Governor Obiano is his brother.

When contacted, Obuekwe said he had nothing more to say on the issue.

Egenti could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.

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