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Ogwashi-Uku High Chief Accuses Assistant Commissioner Of Police Of Allegedly Perverting Course Of Justice
The Odogwu of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Ohai, has accused an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Chike Nwabua of perverting the course of justice and manipulating the police system to prevent suspects from being charged to court.
Recall that the crisis that erupted at Ogwashi-Uku, headquarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State a few months ago over the choice of Odogwu (Traditional War Lord) is still lingering in spite of declarations by authorities of the Delta State Police Command that they would not leave any stone unturned in resolving the issue and bringing to book anyone found culpable.
Chief Ohai alleged that since the ACP, who serves at the FCT Command, Abuja, became the Odafe, Azungwu Quarters of Ogwashi-Uku has never known peace as he allegedly goes on to appropriate people’s land to himself through intimidation.
Chief Ohai, whose property estimated at over N500m were destroyed by some dissident kinsmen last June, in a statement made available to the press on Tuesday, said the attitude of the police investigating officers has become suspicious and worrisome.
According to him, nothing reasonable had been done towards bringing to justice those behind the attack, including the wanton destruction of his houses, cars, agricultural farm settlement where over 3, 000 birds, 168 pigs and125 goats, among others.
The Odogwu outlined, in his statement made available to journalists Tuesday, how ACP Nwabua, who holds the traditional title of Odafe of Ogwashi-Uku, has been allegedly working behind the scenes to create problems within the community as well as instigate the transfer of the case file from the Delta State Command.
Chief Ohai stated that “he (ACP Nwabua) claimed that when members of the Homicide Department of the Delta State Police Command came to arrest the suspects for the murder, the officers were attacked and then the Odafe in Council under the direction of the ACP Chike Nwabua mobilised youths to attack him and his family which led to the burning of his house and farm.”
Chief Ohai further alleged that he had written a petition to the Inspector General of Police and the DIG FCIID to inform them of the activities of ACP Chike Nwabua and how he has been allegedly using his office to pervert the course of justice and cause mayhem within the Ogwashi-Uku community.
Chief Ohai said he had also urged the police authorities from Force Headquarters to beam their spotlight on ACP Chike Nwabua and thoroughly investigate him.
According to him, Federal Government Civil Service Rules do not permit serving and active Civil Servants to take up Chieftaincy positions as ACP Nwabua had done.
“ACP Chike Nwabua last year deceived the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku into believing that he had clearance from the Federal Government and Inspector General and presented himself for a traditional Chieftaincy title.
“ACP Chike Nwabua does not have any approval from the government to take any title and has not provided any such approval to the traditional ruler.
“Ogwashi-Uku has had very senior police officers over the past decades. We have had commissioners of police, a Police Minister and even our own sister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as a senior member of the federal cabinet.
“Never has any of these people used their positions in government to intimidate members of our community or instigate violence and problems within the community.
“This is the first time in our history that a serving police officer will lie to get a traditional title and instead of using his position for something positive, he is using it to appropriate lands of poor farmers, collecting rents and tributes from peasant farmers and using the proceeds of his illegal collections to throw lavish parties within the community as witnessed during this past October,” Chief Ohai further alleged.
The Odogwu, who’s a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and astute agric entrepreneur, wondered why the police would suddenly want to see him as the problem whereas, he was the one attacked by those opposed to his choice and installation as the Odogwu of Ogwashi-Uku by the King of the town, His Royal Majesty, Obi Ifechukwude Aninshi Okonjo.