By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Popular Anambra businessman, Chief Plus Nweke, the Chief Executive Officer of Best Aluminium Manufacturing Company, who was on Friday paraded in handcuffs with an unlicensed gun, will be taken to Abuja for further questioning.

Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP John Abang, disclosed this on Saturday while reacting to the protest by Nweke’s kinsmen.

He said: “Policemen of the Inspector General of Police’s Special Tactical Squad while on routine patrol at Awada, (Onitsha area) saw and intercepted a Lexus Jeep which its number plate was covered and then searched the car and the occupant and in the process found a Barrera pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition and on interrogation, the fellow who was in the car who owns the pistol is one Mr Plus Nweke.

“He has been taken into custody for further interrogation at Onitsha there with STS. He will be taken to Abuja. So, definitely he will be moved to Abuja for further necessary actions and interrogations.”

The people of Abba community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State had earlier on Saturday protested the arrest of Nweke, who is one of their illustrious sons.

The community had alleged that the arrest of billionaire businessman was not unconnected with the role he had been playing as one of the strong voices speaking against the intimidation of the community by a neighbouring town.

Abba community, the country home of popular novelist Chimaamanda Adichie, has been in a protracted land tussle with Ukpo town also in the same LGA, leading to the arrest of more than 15 people from the town.

The crux of the dispute is a large expanse of land commonly called “Agu Abba” which Ukpo has already taken over and erected some buildings there.

According to a spokesperson for the community, Bennett Anaekwe, the whereabouts of Nweke is yet unknown.

He said: “At about 12 noon on Friday, information filtered in of the abduction of Chief Plus Nweke on his way to his office by the Nigeria Police Force.

“It was confirmed that Chief Nweke was abducted by the men of the Nigeria Police when his pictures in handcuffs with a gun in a background of a police station started circulating online.

“The whereabouts of Chief Nweke is still unknown.”

While urging the Nigeria Police not to reduce itself to a private thug, he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to save Abba community from the Nigerian police.

He regretted that the community had been subjected to police intimidation, harrassment and victimization with not less than 19 citizens of the community charged to court for offences ranging from obstruction to armed robbery since June, 2019.

He added: “At present, two out of the five persons arrested on 18th December, 2019 in the Magistrate’s Court, Umudioka are still in the facility of the Nigeria Correctional service.

The Abba community hereby places the world on notice that should anything happen to Chief Plus Nweke, the Nigeria Police under Chief Plus Nweke, the Nigeria Police under IGP Mohammed Adamu and Prince Arthur Eze are to be held responsible.”

Update news