The people of Ishiagu Village, Ugwuaji Awkunanaw in Enugu South Council area of Enugu State, have petitioned Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the State Traditional Rulers Council, and the Police Service
Commission (PSC) over alleged criminal encroachment, malicious damage and conduct likely to cause breach of
peace in the locality.
The people have also pointed accusing fingers at the traditional ruler of Obeagu Ugwuaji Community, Igwe Christopher Ikenga and his son, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga.
In a petition signed by chairman and Secretary of the Ishiagu General
Assembly, Okwudiri Ani and Joe Onu respectively, the community
claimed that the traditional ruler has made it a norm to brazenly and forcibly enter into, cease, parcellate and allegedly sell several
portions of their ancestral land inherited from their forefathers.
They stated that the portions have been in unperturbed and unchallenged possesion for centuries and generations, adding that some of them resisited the alledged criminal encroachment and insisted that
Ishiagu Community is not in Obeagu Ugwuaji and as such Igwe Ikenga has
no jurisdiction over its land neither are the good people of Ishiagu his subjects.
The traditional Ruler , according to them was angered by their resistance and allegedly deployed his son who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police against them and allegedly entered into and ceased total
control of their ancestral lands.
“For avoaindance of doubt and sake of clarity, the border between Ishiagu and Obeagu Communities have been delienated since time immemorial and have been respected conventionally for hundreds of years before the reign of his Royal Highness who is now hell bound on forceful expropriation of our land for no just cause.
“Deputy Superretendent of Police, Tochukwu Ikenga acting on his fathers’s instructions has resorted to using the otherwise good office of the Nigerian Police to perpertrate his father’s clandestine and
obnoxious Agenda.
“DSP Tochukwu Ikenga has been personally threatening members of the Ishiagu Community as randomly as possible at his whims and caprices including but not limited to the undersigned as a result
of which the entire community currently live in fear and majority no longer sleeep at home for fear of Igwe Christopher Ikenga and his son Tochukwu who somtimes invite some section of the police force to
Ishiagu Community who come on a shooting spray, scaring both old and young women, aged fathers and youths scampering for their lives.
The petition which was also jointly signed by Chief Solomon Ugwu, Chief Okafor Ugwu Mr. Faith Ani, Sunday Edeh, alledged that “DSP Tochukwu has arrested, detained, totured and injured numerous
indigenes of Ishiagu Ugwuaji community for daring to question his
right audacity and jurisdiction in lording it over the peaceful people
of Ishiagu Community who are not his subjects.
“On several Occassions, Igwe Christopher Ikenga has openly bragged that he sent his son Tochukwu to school and ensure ge got employed by the Nigerian police solely for the porpoese of intimidating, harrsaing and subjugation of his enemies.
“On his part, DSP, Tochukwu Ikenga has also openly boasted to use his connection in and around the apparatus of the Nigerian Police Force to deal ruthleslly with any member of Ishiagu Community who dares stand
on his father’s way in the forcible aquaisition of Ishiagu Ugwuaji lands aforelisted.
“By this medium, we are calling on His Excellency, the Executive governor of Enugu State, the Chairman, Enugu Council of traditional rulers, the police Service Commission (PSC) and the general public to intervene in this imbroglio and save the Souls of Ishiagu Ugwuaji Community.
“To call on His Royal Highness Igwe Christopher Ikenga and son to order so as to forestall a possible complete break down of fragile peace occasioned by the aggressive and Proactive actions of the duo.”
ENDS
