Residents of Iyiowa Odekpe in Ogbaru Council Area have called for immediate government attention following the destruction of properties worth hundreds of millions of naira by touts alleged to be Odekpe youths.
The ABS visited Acha and Ihioma streets in Iyiowa Odekpe, glass windows, doors and water pipes of more than twenty storey buildings, and about thirty vehicles were destroyed, while schools were closed down for safety of pupils because the youths allegedly threw stones on glass windows of the school buildings while classes were in session.
Some shops were also invaded and destroyed, and huge amounts of money removed by the youths.
Speaking to the ABS, the Chairman of Landlord’s Association, Iyiowa Odekpe, Chief Sunday Obinze, said the whole crisis was as a result of illegal revenues levied on the residents by the youths, which the new leadership of the community resisted, as well as attempt by Odekpe indigenes to impose leaders on Iyiowa community, which he said yielded no result, as the Iyiowa community went on and conducted election that produced the new leadership.
Also narrating the incident, some of the residents whose buildings, goods and shops were damaged, including Dr. Chukwunonso Okolie, Chief Hyacinth Iduu, Mrs. Ijeoma Chukwu, Uchenna Ike among others, said over one hundred touts with guns and other dangerous weapons invaded the Iyiowa community around nine o’clock on Tuesday morning, beat up some people who were later rushed to the hospital, destroyed buildings and stole from shops.
They cried to the state government to intervene urgently; as they no longer feel safe in the community.
An aged woman, Mrs. Agbonma Adaeze; from Nnewi, who said she has lived in Iyiowa for fifty years, recounted how the touts came to her house but left after she reminded them that her late husband, Chief Enyinwa was the one who developed the Iyiowa community, and pleaded for amicable solution to the crisis.
Reacting to the allegations, the President General of Odekpe town, Barrister Onyekwelu Nwanosike, stressed that Odekpe youths do not have a hand in the destruction of people’s properties at Iyiowa community, rather, it was a feud between two opposing groups contesting election in the layout.
He lamented that the community has been enjoying peace until recently when the power tussle began between the two groups, and called on the state government to delve into the matter and make whoever that is responsible for the crisis to face the law.
On the alleged illegal revenue collection at Iyiowa community, Barrister Nwanosike said he is not aware of it; except the revenue approved by the government.
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