Barely one week after a group from Amanuke community in Awka North Local Government Area led a protest against land grabbing in the community, where they fingered some individuals for illegally disposing community lands, another group has staged a counter peaceful protest, insisting that leadership tussle and not land grabbing is the major reason for the dispute in the community.
The protesters who staged a peaceful demonstration to Zone thirteen Headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area and the Government House in Awka, insisted that the individuals fingered by the protesters are not land grabbers and explained that their peaceful demonstration is to set the records straight to ensure that the state government and the Nigeria Police Force are not misled.
The oldest man in the town aged over one hundred years, Mr. Nnawobu Okafor and the custodian of Amanuke community, Chief Nwafor Ezebuilo said that as elders of the town, it will be a taboo for them not to set the record straight and watch injustice prevail, regretting that the love for money and material things has taken over love and respect for culture and tradition in the community.
They appealed to the state government to disregard the claim that land grabbing is the major cause of the dispute in the community but a protracted leadership tussle.
The pioneer Women President General of the town, Mrs. Ngozi Okuefuna and some youths of the town, Christopher Igwedinma and Ikechukwu Ofuorah-Nwafor appreciated the Nigeria Police for their prompt action which led to the arrest and detention of one of the leading persons that foment trouble in the community.
They frowned at those who assassinate the character of investors and other respectable men in the community, and accused them of deceiving the state government and the public with different types of propaganda, stating that the mischief makers only engage in intimidation to foster untold hardship and fear, so as to continue to hold on to the leadership of the community.
Responding, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu thanked the community for their peaceful conduct while the protest lasted and for the information they provided and assured them that the Soludo-led administration is committed to arresting all sorts of conflicts and leadership tussles in different parts of the state.
Dr Obiogbolu assured that the state government is collaborating with security agencies in the state to ensure that peace and tranquility is entrenched and advised them not to take laws into their hands and allow appropriate authorities to do their jobs and intervene in the matter.