The people of Obegu Awkunanaw community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State have protested alleged constant arrest and harassment of their sons by men of the Nigeria Police.
The distressed community is now appealing to the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission to intervene.
Speaking through their traditional ruler, Igwe Mich Nnukwu, the community linked their ordeal to an estate company.
The monarch, who spoke in an emotional laden voice, accused a company, Private Estate International West Africa Limited of coming with a drone, surveyed the whole of his community and started claiming ownership including his palace.
He claimed that his people could no longer go to farm, among other things owing to intimidation.
To press home their demand, the President General of the community, MrMichOgnonna led over five hundred youths of the area in a peaceful protest around the area.
He demanded the immediate release of their kinsman who was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Ikoyi Lagos, over the land related matter.
Ogbonna alleged that some policemen were being used to arrest them on trump up charges, noting that some had been arrested, arraigned in Abuja and its environs and dumped in Keffi or Suleja prisons.
He questioned the jurisdiction of CID Lagos to effect arrest in Enugu over land matters if not intimidation.
“They arrested one of our brothers and sped up to the airport to take him to Lagos on a chartered flight.
Unfortunately, our brother collapsed as a result of assault and underline sicknesses.
“He was rushed to the airport clinic and later to the police hospital before they could stablise him,” he claimed.
Also speaking, the Traditional Prime Minister of Obegu community, Chief AndeyEgbo pointed out that the matter was already in court and wondered why the estate company abandoned all judicial processes and resorted to intimidation.
“For over one week, our people went into hiding; they deployed police from Lagos to track down some persons they perceived as leaders of the community.
Even if they succeeded in killing all of us, our children would continue from where we stopped,” he vowed.
He appealed to the IGP and the Police Service Commission to save them.
When contacted, the chief executive, Private Estate International West Africa Limited, (PEIWA), Mr Kinsley Eze neither accepted nor denied responsibility but only referred journalists to the Ministry of Lands, Chief of Staff to the Governor and the police for confirmation.
Efforts to also obtain reactions from the police were futile as of the time of this report.
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