Admin I Saturday, May 10, 2025
AWKA, Anambra – The Secretary of the Keke Drivers Association in Anambra State, Comrade Uchenna Umeh, has called on the Anambra State Police Command to bring Mr. Chukwuka Nwalen to justice for allegedly providing false information, which led to his being accused as an armed robber by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu.
Speaking with our correspondent, Comrade Umeh expressed disappointment that someone could make a report to the police falsely labeling him a gang leader involved in tricycle theft and yet face no consequences.
He stated that the police have so far failed to act on the serious allegations, allowing the matter to linger without resolution.
Umeh also revealed that Chukwuka had previously made criminal threats against him and other Keke drivers in Awka, which were reported to the police. However, he lamented that no meaningful steps have been taken to address these threats.
He urged the police to arrest and prosecute Chukwuka for spreading false information and making criminal threats, stressing that Keke drivers in the state are now living in fear due to the inadequate response from law enforcement agencies.
“Despite the ongoing investigations, Chukwuka and his associates continue to intimidate our members,”
“We later discovered that some men came to my house at night, claiming to be RRS officers acting on a petition filed by Chukwuka. He accused me of leading a syndicate of armed robbers and Keke snatchers in Awka.”
“When I appeared at the RRS unit in Awkuzu, the officers were surprised. Based on the petition, they expected someone much younger and more aggressive. I explained my side of the story and provided relevant details. They released me on bail and scheduled a follow-up, but once again, Chukwuka failed to appear,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the Keke Drivers Union in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, continue to raise alarm over the resurgence of cult-related attacks targeting their colleagues, both at their parks and at home.
In recent weeks, drivers operating at Aroma Park in Awka have reportedly suffered multiple assaults by suspected cultists, leaving some injured. The union is urging the state government and relevant security agencies to take swift action before the situation escalates and leads to loss of life.
Speaking to Insideoutnews, Comrade Umeh recounted several troubling incidents that appear to be connected.
“I believe the attack last week and the one that occurred in February are related,”
“Last week at Eke Awka Park in Aroma, four men entered through the back gate in an unregistered tricycle. After spending some time inside, they attempted to leave through the main entrance. When our fee collector asked them to pay the park fee—as required in our privately managed park—they refused and began beating him. When he defended himself, one of the men pulled out a pump-action gun and fired into the air. Thankfully, no one was hurt.”
“Later that same evening, they went to the home of one of our members, Mr. Samuel Nnabuogu, beat him severely, and inflicted multiple head and body injuries. They also robbed him of his day’s earnings. He is currently undergoing medical treatment,” Umeh narrated.
He linked these incidents to an ongoing dispute with Chukwuka Nwalen, a former park member originally from Ebonyi State. According to Umeh, Chukwuka repeatedly violated park rules by picking up passengers outside designated areas, thereby undermining the queueing system put in place to ensure fairness.
“When we confronted him, he threatened one of our members, Ernest Attah, saying he would bring people to ‘deal with him.’ When we attempted to move his tricycle back into the park to resolve the issue, he violently resisted,” Umeh said.
Following that incident, the matter was reported to the Central Police Station (CPS) in Awka.
“We filed a report with Sergeant Uju and we were instructed to tow Chukwuka’s tricycle to the station, which we did at a cost of N20,000. However, after a month, we received no updates from the police, and Chukwuka never returned to address the matter,” he explained.
Umeh further revealed that Chukwuka later returned to the park with a different tricycle and continued to disregard the rules. “When he was apprehended again and taken to CPS, he was granted bail the same day, and the police promised to investigate further.”
Shortly afterward, Umeh was informed that Chukwuka had been asking about his home address—an act he found threatening.
“I reported this to the police, but they treated it lightly. Sergeant Uju, who was handling the case, frequently missed appointments and never returned my calls. I felt like the police were shielding him. This prompted us to escalate the matter to the Commissioner of Police, who reassigned the case.
