By Emmanuel Onwubiko
The current administration has just intervened in the protracted human
rights violations that have threatened the social fabrics of a notable
agrarian community in the crude oil rich Delta state known as
Idumuje-Ugboko which is approximately a trekkable distance from the
political seat of power of Delta state of Asaba.
The epicenter of these crises is within the House of Nwoko which for
centuries has headed the trade-cultural affairs of this reputable
community known for producing distinguished lawyers, journalists,
writers and keepers of excellent global tourism sites.
Hendrix Oliomogbe is a journalist who works for Nigeria’s media
flagship – The Guardian and from his base in Asaba he summed up what
he believes are the core issues tearing this once boisterous and
peaceful farming community apart.
He wrote as follows: “On August 20th 2017, a house divided against
itself can certainly not stand, so they warned. An impending implosion
may just lead to the fall of House of Nwoko, which for centuries has
presided over affairs of the small town of Idumuje Ugboko, Aniocha
North local council of Delta State, should the feuding princes not
entomb the hatchet. The cause of friction is who, between Prince
Justin Nonso Nwoko, the eldest surviving son of the late King Obi
Albert Nwoko III, and his younger half-brother, 18-year old Prince
Uche Nwoko, is the rightful occupant of the ancient chieftaincy
stool”.
“While the elder Nwoko has since been coronated as king by a section
of the palace, the teenager, a final year secondary school student, is
not relenting in his march to the throne. He is so supremely confident
that as the chosen one, that like the biblical Joseph, his elder
brother might pay obeisance to him. The coveted kingship stool became
vacant last February, when their father passed on at 91. The cold war
over who the crown fits turned hot recently, when some suspected
hoodlums brazenly invaded the palace in a desperate bid to abort a
meeting of the elders”.
“From being a peaceful community, where cheerful princes pumped
hands within the confine of the palace, there is now mutual suspicion
and palpable fear in the community, even though security has been
beefed up around the palace, with the deployment of anti-riot
policemen. The Iyase (traditional Prime Minister), Chief Chris Ogwu,
alleged that anarchy is now the order in the town, a few kilometers
from the council headquarters at Issele Uku, as the teenage prince’s
supporters are now hounded by some village thugs. Ogwu, a veteran
journalist and pioneer editor of the state owned The Pointer
newspaper, said his insistence on the truth earned him a severe
whipping, while the windscreen of his vehicle was smashed and his
house vandalized by thugs on the monarch’s orders.”
“He said: “Over 100 thugs now occupy the palace. They invaded the
community, dragged people out of their homes and beat them up, and
destroyed indigenes’ belongings. They invaded the market and chased
away traders. They also invaded the secondary school, causing teachers
and pupils to scamper into the bush, as they shot sporadically.”
Prince Uche and his supporters contended that the choice of the elder
half-brother couldn’t stand, as the people’s age-old customs were
not followed in the installation. They are holding him out as more
qualified, because his parents are from Idumuje-Ugboko.”
These narratives by the reporter are one amongst the many cases of
human rights abuses which formed the fundamental points of attractions
for the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) which
about the same time of this newspaper publication embarked on an
investigative visit to the community.
Barrister David Ajaba, a very senior legal consultant to HURIWA headed
the team which also included Barrister Sylvia Nneka Okonkwo, and two
other activists namely Andrew and Yomi. They met and interviewed
several victims of coordinated attacks which were blamed reportedly on
the factional traditional ruler of the village aforementioned.
The team authored a report of the fact-finding mission of human rights
writers association of Nigeria to idumeji ugboko community of delta
state as follows:
In view of the disturbing story of human rights abuses in Idumuje
Ugboko community of Delta State, we embarked on a fact finding mission
to the community on 21st August 2017. This was preceded by an
application for police protection which was personally submitted to
and immediately approved by the Delta State Commissioner of Police. In
the company of some armed police men, we proceeded to Idumeje Ugboko
community where we had interaction with a good number of persons who
were affected by the rampage and did a house to house assessment of
the situation.
Our finding revealed that Chief Chris Ogwu, the Iyamasi (Prime
Minister) of Idumuje Ugboko is one of the victims of the attack. The
window glasses of his cars: a Camry Le and a Mercedes-Benz 230; house
windows, wardrobe were destroyed. He informed us that other household
items like television, dstv decoder, mobile phones were stolen from
him after had been personally beaten and dragged to the palace on the
night of 24th May 2017.
All the elders of the community were affected by the attack. Chief
Chucks Kennedy Ilo relayed that on the 19th of May 2017, some
aggressive youths came to his shop and informed him that Prince Nonso
had ordered that they bring him to the palace. They grabbed him and
carried him to the palace where he was terribly manhandled and told
that it was only a warning. Afterwards on the 24th of May 2017 at
about 12midnight, they came back destroyed his living house (which we
observed) and took away his dstv and Star Times decoders, TV, cooking
gas, serving plates, ogbono seed stored by the wife. This second
experience caused him to flee his home to Asaba where he has been till
the time of our visit.
Chief Moses Chisanda (Bukano) who is the President of the Udumuje
Ugboko Development Union had his house’s 12 windows destroyed and
said his mobile phones, dstv, motorcycle were taken by the armed
youth.
Mr. Peter Mbama (Head of Vigilante)
said on the 24th day of May, 2017 at 12:30am, some armed thugs said
they were sent by Prince Nonso Nwoko to recover the property of the
community from him and despite that he handed the properties to them,
he was mercilessly beaten almost to death but was only rescued later
where he was abandoned.
Same treatment appeared to have been meted out to Mr Uche Nwoko. The
windows, doors, kitchen cabinets of his new house were all destroyed.
He informed us that
some friends had earlier advised his family to leave their house
because they would be attacked. And true to the threat, on the 25th of
May 2017 at 12midnight, His 2 GP tanks were equally destroyed while
his well water was poisoned. We observed all the properties destroyed.
We also observed that Emma Kobonye (youth leader) sustained gunshot
injury on his leg which he said was due to attacks by the same youth.
At the house of Chief Sunday Edimode (the Odogwu of Idumuje) Ugboko),
we observed that of the 16 windows of his house, 14 were smashed
exposing the house to cold. We met him shaking terribly like one with
partial stroke. He informed us that all were a result of the attacks
of some armed youths who informed him that they were sent by Prince
Nonso Nwoko due to his association with and support for Prince Ned
Nwoko.
Another person affected by the attacks is Mr. Victor Omeyi: he fumed
as relayed his ugly ordeal. His five air conditioners, conveniences,
windows were all smashed with the following items (according to him)
carted away: boxes of utensils, return ticket to UK, landed property
documents, $3,500, E500, N200,000, generating set, etc.
Mrs. Gladys Koguonye also suffered similar fate. Her two doors, 5
windows, dish and decoder were all destroyed. She reported that her
Nokia phone was taken away by the armed youths who threatened her with
gun the night of 25th June 2017 at around 11 pm when they came to her
house.
This is by no means a complete coverage of those affected by the
attacks due to time and resources.
Life and property in Idumuje Ugboko community right now are not safe.
Some people have fled the community for refuge at some other towns,
while some others who cannot afford to leave the community have left
their homes. The emotions are very high. It is a situation which
requires urgent attention to prevent further attacks or retaliatory
attacks which will greatly worsen the life of the community.
On the return of this investigative team to the community, the Rights
group wrote to the National Human Rights Commission and asked that the
commission constitute a team to visit the community to see for
themselves what the team saw on ground and the displacement of so many
of the people of this community who then took refuge within the
imposing and expansive mansion of the former house of representatives
member and a leading senior maritime lawyer in Africa Prince Ned
Nwoko.
HURIWA told the Human Rights Commission why it has become necessary
for government to intervene as follows: “We write you this letter to
urge your good offices to urgently assign a team of investigators to
visit the above mentioned community to provide remedial mechanisms to
the large number of alleged human rights violation victims. Our
attention was called to the brewing crisis in this community and we
are concerned that a great percentage of women, children and elders of
this community who were allegedly attacked by armed thugs are now
internally displaced and denied their constitutionally guaranteed
human rights”.
As one of the credible civil society stakeholders, we decided to visit
the community on Monday 21st August 2017 to take a critical assessment
of the allegations but the presence of your tem would make a world of
difference because of the capacity of your good offices to deploy
institutional mechanisms within the context of the enabling law to
resolve the growing trends of human rights violations especially
against vulnerable members of this community.
We were also informed that after the violence that recently erupted in
Idumuje-Ugboko, an agrarian community in Aniocha North LGA of Delta
State, the tale is such that could be described as evidence of sorrow,
tears and blood. The gory sight of the point where a young man was
murdered, the injured youths, the displaced and homeless, the wanton
destruction of properties, all this attest to the wreck left behind by
the royal family entrusted with the custody and destiny of the
community of Ugboko and her people. Even the team of police from the
offices of the AIG Zone 5, Benin, the CP Delta State Command and the
DPO Divisional Police Headquarters, Issele-Uku could not resist an
intermittent facial expression of surprises at the level of mayhem
unleashed on a community by her own immediate ruling family and their
cohorts, so reports the media.
Before conducting journalists round the town to families whose houses
were destroyed, one of the actors, Prince Ned Nwoko had briefed the
media representatives before the OC Legal from Benin, the outcome of
the meeting of parties in the Ugboko crisis with the AIG Abubakar.
From the whole scenario, it appears that the bone of contention
between Prince Nonso Nwoko and Prince Ned Nwoko is the 90 hectares of
land allocated to the latter for the setting up of a sport university,
which was sparked off by previous personal acrimony. The documents
shown indicated that the land was duly approved to be given to Ned by
the former Obi Albert Nwoko prior to his demise, before the coming up
of Prince Nonso Nwoko to oppose the approval and attempting to disrupt
the ceding of the said land for the establishment of a university of
sports.
The Odogwu of Ugboko, Chief Sunday Anthony Edemodu, who is also a
victim of the crisis, confirmed as the Land Allocation Chairman that
Obi Albert duly approved the allocation of the said land to Ned as
agreed by Ugboko community. He exonerated Ned of any wrong doing,
adding that his family was attacked for standing on the truth.
The Secretary of the Land Allocation Committee, Mr. Kennedy Iloh also
affirmed the claims of the Odogwu, maintaining that Prince Nonso Nwoko
is opposed to development in the community even when his qualification
for the next Ugboko king remains in doubt. He said a handful of elders
in the community were beaten up and rendered homeless by thugs loyal
to Prince Nonso Nwoko, just for speaking the truth.
Meanwhile, every other victim spoken to, including a 75 year old Mrs.
Maria Nwoko alleged that one Ashioma Omezie led Chiejume Ndudi, Kachi
Nwoko, Nnamdi Ochei, Nonso Omeife a.k.a Mandela, Iyke Moemeke, Ifeanyi
Chima, Nwabuisi Chima, Ndudi Chibu and over 25 other alleged thugs
from the palace to beat them up and destroy their houses at night. She
pleaded with the police to be in constant operation in the community
to protect them, claiming that their lives are in danger as the entire
community has been engulfed in fears.
However, it was later learnt that over 150 youths and elders,
including the Iyase of Ugboko, Chief Chris Ogwu and the last wife of
the former Obi, Queen Faith Okwukwe Nwoko now live at the Mount Ned
Nwoko as refugees, even in their own community.
The now frayed looking Iyase of Ugboko, Chief Chris Ogwu, a veteran
journalist himself and pioneer Editor of the Pointer Newspaper
stressed that only God can help them from the hands of a tyrant who
would do anything to become king. He said ever since the incident
where his house and brand new car were destroyed he had sought refuge
in tightly secured Ned Nwoko’s house.
Chief Ogwu had earlier briefed the press in Asaba after the carnage in
his community. With this on the spot assessment of damage in the
community of Ugboko, it could be deduced that all what he said was
true.
The Rights Commission immediately commenced investigation even as it
later recommended to the Federal Attorney General and minister of
justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) to intervene urgently which the office
of the Federal Attorney General immediately took over the entire
process which has now culminated in the imminent prosecution for
terrorism of the indicted factional leaders of the community.
The Federal government’s intervention has now resulted in a pending
suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja Division and one of the
ingredients of the allegations is thus:
Conspiracy punishable under section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention)
(Amendment) Act 2013
Nigerian government alleged that: “That you, PRINCE CHUKWUNONSO
NWOKO, DENNIS UWADIEGUM NWOKO, NDUDI CHIEJIUME, NWOCHIE AGILIGA LIGHT,
RAYMOND OMESIETE, ADIM NWAFOR, OKEY IFEJOKU, AZUKA MUKOLU, EJIMOFE
NWOKO, OMOYE ESONYE, AIKHOMO OMEZI of Idumuje-Ugboko Community,
Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State on or before the
18th to the 25th of May 2017 at Idumuje-Ugboko Community, Aniocha
North Local Government Area of Delta State within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court conspired to commit Act of terrorism and you
thereby committed an offence punishable under section 17 of the
Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013”.
*Emmanuel Onwubiko heads HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
(HURIWA) and blogs@www.emmanuelonwubiko.com,www.huriwa.blogspot.com
[1],www.thenigerianinsidermews.com [2].
Links:
——
[1] http://www.huriwa.blogspot.com/
[2] http://www.thenigerianinsidermews.com/