Nsugbe is in Anambra East local government area.
People of Nnadi community in Nsugbe have decried the arrest and detention of their youths namely Chidi Akudo and Charles Obodoechina by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command without committing any offence since November 13, 2022.
Nsugbe is in Anambra East local government area.
The community lamented that the “offence” of the two youths was that they obeyed the elders of the community to clear bushes along the power line that brought electricity to the community after two years in darkness; “so that our people can celebrate the Christmas and New Year with light.”
The community in a Save-Our-Soul (SOS) sent to SaharaReporters, stated that the decision to clear bushes along the power line that brought electricity to the community was after their youths living in diaspora contributed money to pay the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC and restore light to the community.
They felt that since the community was without electricity for two years, it was wise to clear bushes that had already encroached on electric poles.
The community said they were surprised that while the youths were clearing the bushes along the electricity line, some thugs used by one Senator Alphonsus Igbeke aka Ubanesse and some policemen from 3-3 Police Station swooped on the youths and injured some. “While most of them escaped, Ubanesse's thugs grabbed the two leaders of the youth and handed over to the policemen which the Senator brought.
“They were first detained at 3-3 police station for three days before transferring them to State CID Awka. Till today these boys have not been granted bail or charged to court. What is their offence? The police said that Senator Igbeke ordered that they should be charged for vandalising EEDC property. The youths did not vandalise EEDC property. We have tried everything possible to bail them, but Ubanesse uses his connection to intimidate us.
“After transferring them to the State CID, our elders and women visited the commissioner of police to release those boys but instead they were referred to the deputy commissioner of police in-charge of the state criminal investigation department. The deputy commissioner has refused to release our youths despite several appeals. He has also refused to charge them to court either because Senator Igbeke hasn’t directed so.”
The community added, “Ubanesse Igbeke is trying to charge them for vandalisation of EEDC property. We have written to MD EEDC Enugu and they told us that Ubanesse is dragging them into the case to be the complainant.”
Elder brother of the detained Chidi Akudo, who identified himself as Mr John Akudo told SaharaReporters that Senator Igbeke has made life in the community a living hell on earth.
Lamenting the inhumane treatment the said Senator Alphonsus Igbeke, who also hails from Nnadi village had meted on the people, Akudo said “My people have no road, no hospital, no school, no electricity, not even a chemist shop is located in my village all because of one man. Senator Igbeke after serving out his senate tenure, retired to Nsugbe and made himself a land committee chairman. We didn't know his intentions were evil.
“Ubanesse as he is fondly called started with selling off our lands and he has so far succeeded in selling over a thousand plots of our community lands. He rejected every social and basic life amenity in my village. Our children trek over four kilometers every day to school because of bad roads. Because of the peoples suffering, Mr Tony Nwoye wanted to construct our road since it is a stone throw to his house but regrettably for whatever reason Senator Ubanesse stopped him.
“The worst happened when our youths contributed money to fix water and electricity in November. They were able to contribute some money and fixed water challenges, and were fixing the electricity and Ubanesse got them arrested with police and accused them of vandalizing electricity assets of EEDC. They have been in police detention since last month. In 2021 our youths caught some people vandalizing the electricity lines in our community. They were handed over to Senator Ubanesse but after collecting money from their family he released them. Now he is accusing my brother because he opposed his tyranny in the community.”
Calling on the Inspector-General of Nigerian Police Force to rein in on his corrupt officers in Anambra state who have been sharing community assets with the senator to continuing subjugating the people of the community, he said he didn’t want his brother and colleague to end like the eight youths of the community including teenagers Senators Ubanesse abducted and disappeared since 21 years.