The people of Obeagu Ugwuaji Autonomous Community in Enugu South Council Area of Enugu State have called for an end to unnecessary tension in the area.
DAILY POST reports that the leadership of Isi-Agu Development Union had accused the traditional ruler of Obeagu Autonomous Community, Igwe Christopher Ikenga of trying to unlawfully take over their ancestral land and heritage.
Executive Committee members of the Town Union had alleged that Igwe Ikenga is using his son, a serving Senior police officer, to harass and intimidate them out of their ancestral land, which they inherited from their ancestors.
Chairman of Isi-Agu, Ugwuaji Development Union, (UDU), Chief Okwudili Ani, alongside the Secretary, Joseph Onuh, former Chairman, Solomon Ugwu, and other past leaders, made the allegations.
However, in a reaction, the people of Obeagu Ugwuaji Autonomous Community, deplored what they described as a “media trial” against their traditional ruler, HRH Igwe Christopher Ikenga and his police son, Tochukwu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
In a statement signed by Chief Edwin Nyia, the Secretary of Obeagu Ugwuaji palace, the community stated that, “the report of land grabbing, torture, intimidation, arrest and harassment by persons HRH Igwe Ikenga is false, malicious, an attempt to tarnish the image of the royal family and prejudicial to the justice system anywhere in the world. We would advise that the general public be well guided.”
The community challenged the persons making the allegations to “provide the members of the public, the name of department of Police that arrested them, the date they were arrested, the place they were arrested from, other names of police officers that joined in enforcing the arrest, where they were detained, the persons that sustain gunshot injuries, where they were treated, the eyewitnesses and other proofs that may be relevant as Nigeria Police is a responsible public institution which one can go and verify.”
They added that the allegation of forceful takeover of lands belonging to the six communities of Ugwuaji can’t be farther from the truth because “it is a known fact that all lands belonging to the concerned six Communities after the creation of Obeagu-Ugwuaji Autonomous Community had in the past been demarcated and gazetted by the state government through the State Boundary Commission situated at the Deputy Governor’s office and it is a public document for anyone who cares to know.
“Emphatically and as a matter of policy, HRH Igwe Ikenga and family do not engage in land business or dealings as the such powers are adjudicated to the Chairman Power of Attorney, the President General of the community and the legal representative of the community.
“It is disheartening to state that HRH Igwe Ikenga and family whose name is a reference point for hard work, diligence and honesty would lend his reputation built steadfastly over the years to acts of such accusations which he must now stoically suffer through while clearing his name.
“The general public are advised to resist the urge to buy into media trial/sensationalism which is unsurprising but regardless harmful to the course for the truth which His Highness stands for.
“Igwe Ikenga is ready for any investigation and will honour any Government agency/security invitation or from any relevant bodies but the alleged victims/persons/group should be in attendance when such a meeting is scheduled.”
