UNKNOWN GUNMEN: Nteje Youths Protest Illegal Police Crackdown on Members

By Praise Chinecherem

Irate youths from Ifite-Nteje village in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state on Saturday staged a peaceful march over alleged indiscriminate arrest and detention of several youths in the area by security operatives.

The protesters, numbering over 200 marched from the Oyi police station to the village square under close supervision of men of the Nigerian Police led by the DPO of the station.

They expressed joy that peace was gradually returning to the community after lingering crisis rocking the community which resulted to breakdown of law and order as well as deaths of many.

Speaking on Saturday at the village square, a youth leader, Mr chinedu Okechukwu appealed to the Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to come to their rescue, regretting that some youths in the area had fled to take refuge in neighboring communities.

He said they were branded members of Eastern Security Network (ESN) and unknown gunmen as a way of scheming them out while selling their communal lands.

Acknowledging return of peace in the area, Okechukwu appealed to his colleagues to shun acts capable of threatening the existing peace, adding that nothing can be achieved without dialogue.

Also speaking, Comrade Emma Anaugwu who lost his son during the crisis, said the community should be fully involved in the burial, just as he urged the youths to remain calm and embrace peace.

A member of Ifite-nteje village Assembly, Mr Chinenye Ekwenze who said his house was razed during the crisis, called for unity of purpose among the youths of the village.
AnambraDaily gathered that Nteje community had been enmeshed in series of crisis for many years, occasioned by alleged sale of communal land, chieftaincy tussel during the reign of late igwe Roland Odegbo.

The development reportedly led to the installation of two different caretaker committees with government giving recognizition to the Chief Bennet Chiweze-led Caretaker which had been in office for over four years.