Tension in Anambra community as youths shut down market over death of colleague *Traditional ruler cries out

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By Madu Obi

Some youths in Nimo Community, Njikoka local government area of Anambra State, have shut down the town's major market while protesting the death of their colleague shortly after he was released from Police detention over an alleged offence.

The youths had threatened to cause destruction in the area to drive home their anger. Traders and their customers had to run for their lives as the armed youths forced everyone to vacate the market.

They accused the traditional ruler of Nimo, His Royal Highness, Igwe Maximus Ike Oliobi, of causing their colleague's arrest, which led to his death. They shut down the town's market during their protest, an action described as sacrilegious by even their supporters.

Worried by the action of the youths, the traditional ruler of Nimo, His Royal Highness, Igwe Maximus Ike Oliobi, called on security agencies to intervene to secure the town, saying that his community has been taken over by those he described as criminal elements.

Addressing reporters in his palace, Igwe Oliobi said the few criminally minded youths, allegedly being sponsored by some people with selfish interests, had been holding the town hostage, causing chaos.

Reacting to the latest development, the monarch decried the activities of the youths, accusing them of destroying the core values in the town and threatening its peace.

Igwe Oliobi urged the people of the community and the public to disregard the allegation against him, stating that he had no hand in the death of the late youth, whose name was given as Ifeanyi Odibelu.

He called on the security agencies, particularly, the Police, DSS and the newly inaugurated state security outfits, Udo Ga Achi/Agunechembra operatives, to conduct a proper investigation to unravel the actual cause of the death.

He said: "I am innocent of the allegation levelled against me. This gang of youths are protesting against my throne for waging war against kidnapping, armed robbery and for not welcoming land grabbing activities in the community.

These are the same people that invited unknown gunmen to occupy the bush between Nimo and Neni from where they started kidnapping our people.

The protesters, including the late Odibelu, are the people disturbing the peace, unity, togetherness and the development of Nimo Community. Nimo is a home of peace that doesn't need hooliganism.

The protest was for their selfish interest and not for the interest of real Nimo youths. The community under my rulership has done everything possible to engage these gangsters so that they can be useful to themselves, their families and to the community, but the refused to work, rather preferring to involve in land grabbing and other nefarious activities that will fetch them quick money.

This set of youths that are holding this community to ransom are not more than 30 in number. For the past three years, their criminal activities have thrown the community into chaos and disunity.

They are doing everything criminally possible to chase away investors in our land that is largely known for peace and for the community not to benefit from Governor Chukwuma Soludo's Solution Agenda.

'We enrolled these youths into various skill acquisition institutions, including Innoson Manufacturing Company in Nnewi, and the ongoing One Youth Two Skills empowerment programme of the state government for them to legitimately work and earn a peaceful living, but they all ran away in search of quick and easy money."

According to him, "I was called to come and serve my people of Nimo because of my long time contributions to the development of the community and I can proudly say that my eight years on the throne have recorded a massive transformation across the four corners of the town.

A total of 14 brilliant indigent students are also studying Medicine and Engineering courses at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, under my rulership scholarship scheme.

I am doing all these for the sake of progress, peace, unity, togetherness and for the future development of the town."

He called on the security agencies, particularly, the Nigeria Police Force, DSS and Agunechemba to urgently deploy their personnel to the community to douse the tension and apprehend the hoodlums.