By Princely Onyenwe, Imo
Unending accusations and counter accusations seem to be trailing the killing of the Three Town Union Leaders and four of their supporters of Mmahu Autonomous Community in Imo State as the deceased families have fingered the Lawmaker representing Ohaji-Egbema State Constituency in Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Heclus Okoro, traditional ruler of the Community, Eze Ikechukwu Augustine Iwuogu and the Nigerian Police for allegedly masterminding the Mmahu massacre.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved families who besieged the Imo State NUJ Secretariat, Port Harcourt Road Monday, February 14, with their children, the councilor representing Egbema Ward A, Hon. Carmilus Okoro disclosed that the incident was not cult related issue but politically motivated.
He narrated that the problem started on August 24, 2020 when the IMC Chairman of Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area Hon. Marcellanous Amadioha under the direction of the state Governor Sen. Hope Uzodinma appointed the Town Union Leaders in the community.
According to the councilor, the Eze and the Lawmaker vowed not to accept the appointments and thereafter decided to make the community ungovernable.
The councilor further narrated that few days after the appointment, the traditional ruler called a meeting which Hon. Heclus Okoro attended and at the same meeting Hon. Heclus said he has dissolved the appointments made by the IMC Chairman.
” The Eze called a second meeting where he invited the prison escapee one Osita Ogbiri the alleged killer gang leader. The gang was alleged to have murdered one Mr. Uche Nwokeocha who was said to have sited them camped at the Eze’s palace on the first meeting day. He summoned another meeting after which one Chief Athanasius Nwokeocha a cabinet member of the palace was killed for complaining against the killing” the councilor narrated.
The councilor further disclosed that on January 27, 2022 the late PG Ezinna Charles Mgbaraho and his group were summoned by Imo State Police command at the Department of Criminal Investigation based on a petition against them by Mmahu Solidarity Movement based in Port Harcourt which the Eze is a member, That the Group accused the Town Union Leaders for masterminding the killing of Athanasius Nwokeocha
After honouring the invitation by the police on February 3, Osita Ogbiri and his gang came on Monday February 7, and killed Ezinna Charles Mgbaraho the Town Union President General, Chastity Comas Nwachukwu the Secretary, Chief Chinedu Anene the public relations officer, and their supporters Okoro Nwabueze, Ndubishi Okereke, Isaac Ojenya and Ifeyirinwoke Junior.
Three of these people killed were appointed by the IMC and other four were their supporters and their lives were snuffed out one after the other. Those arrested after the incident made confessional statement indicting Heclus Okoro, Ezemma and others.
On the side of the police the councilor narrated that the police had ample opportunity to stop the killings but decided to look the other side.
” The police operation led by Ubi Ettah had good opportunity to rescue the victims but tactically refused to act. Before the killing of the PG took place that very night the PG reported to the Police and I was with the Police when the PG was killed. I told them to go and rescue others they said that the dead body of the PG should be taken to the mortuary first before rescuing others”.
He maintained that the weak approach of the Police led to the killing of the Seven people.
The councilor however used the opportunity to inform the public that in case anything happens to him and the families of the deceased they should hold Heclus Okoro, Ezemma, Ikenna Ajagala, Azuka Nwadiaro and Augustus Orioha responsible.
Meanwhile the member representing Ohaji-Egbema in the Imo State House of Assembly Hon. Heclus Okoro in a telephone conversation denied all allegations levelled against him stating that he don’t even know the councilor in person.
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