Maduako Igbokwe l Saturday, July 9, 2022
ONITSHA, Anambra – Youths in Nteje Community ,Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state numbering about 200 on Saturday staged a peaceful protest to debunk the allegations that they are members of Eastern Security Network (ESN), a violent arm of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB).
The youths converged at the Divisional headquarters of Nigerian Police Force, Nteje, before marching with banners along the Onitsha/Enugu expressway to Awkuzu junction and terminating at Amaokpo, Orukabi village square, Ifite Nteje.
Addressing the youths, at Amaokpo Orukabi village square Ifite Nteje, a senior police officer who preferred anonymity commended the youths for their thoughtfulness to embrace peace in the community.
According to the officer “while police joined you in this peaceful march is to send the signal that we want peaceful co-existence amongst various warring groups in Nteje.
“Youths ,all over the world are agents of peace and development, but the reverse has been the case here for close to 10 years now.
“People have been fighting each other and some have been killed, maimed and property values millions of naira destroyed, all in a bid for one group to exercise dominance over another”.
The senior police officer also stated that he decided that Amaokpo Orukabi village square Ifite Nteje be used as the venue for the protest so that both God and the ancestors of the community would stand in judgment against those causing crisis.
“It is regrettable that the proximity of Anambra State International Passenger/Cargo Airport Umueri to your community rather than being a blessing has turned out to a problem.
“Stop this bloodletting, emulate Aguleri and Umueri people and make peace so that enduring development will be recorded in your community”, he said.
The youths were seen with some banners and placards that reads “Peaceful Movement by Nteje Youths, we want peace in Nteje, We are not ESN members, IGP and CP please beam searchlights in Nteje to uncover evil activities of land grabbers, Gov. Charles Soludo, Nteje Community needs your intervention among others”.
Earlier, the youth leader of Nteje Community Mr Chinedu Okechukwu, said, they held the march to dissociate themselves from the frivolous allegations that Nteje youths are members of ESN.
“A faction in our community have labelled us members of ESN in the petition they sent to the security agencies. Acting on this frivolous petition, DSS operatives and some army personnel came to our place on June 16, 2022 and in the course of the operation shot some people and rough handled our president general.
“As at today, two of the people , Oluebube Anukwu and Chinazaekpere Areh who were shot and sustained gun injuries are dead while other are still laying very critical in various hospitals”, he said.
According to Okechukwu land grabbing was at the major cause of the dispute ravaging the community and nothing more. He appealed to the governor of the state Chukwuma Soludo to urgently intervene in the matter and save them from further destruction .
“Many of us no longer sleep at home because some people engage security operatives illegally to harass and intimidate others in other to bring buyers to sell land belonging to others.
“We even gathered that some of the land grabbers have brought bulldozer now and are clearing land belonging to others because the atmosphere is tensed since after the June 16 incident”, he stated.
