On Monday, protesters from Nkata Ibeku, in the Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, marched to the House of Assembly to voice their opposition to what they claim is the intimidation, harassment, and dictatorship of a prominent local figure who shall remain nameless.
The demonstrators requested the Assembly to step in and save them from the alleged authoritarian actions of the nameless Nkata Ibeku community leader. They carried banners with various inscriptions and entered the Assembly’s chambers.
The group, led by Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ezuruike and Sunday Ogbonna, a member of the community, bemoaned the fact that they had endured years of oppression and harassment. They also mentioned that they had earlier gone to the Zone 9 Police Command in Umuahia to report their experiences.
On the advice of the aforementioned community leader, some of their natives, they claim, were previously detained by security forces.
They requested a free and transparent election for the community’s leadership and urged for Mr. Silas Uchendu to be released from custody right away.
“We demand that the election for the Nkata Community not be held in a private residence. Our people must live in peace with one another, we insist. Our community requires freedom, Ezuruike declared.
Speaking to the demonstrators in Nkata, the Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, promised that the Assembly would coordinate with other pertinent State agencies to put an end to the alleged ongoing intimidation and harassment of community residents.
Austin Okezie Nmeregini, the Deputy Speaker, spoke on behalf of Emeruwa, who promised that the problem will be looked into in order to safeguard people’s lives and property as well as promote long-term harmony within the Nkata Ibeku community.
He applauded them for their complaint-filing efforts, which were conducted peacefully.
