Armed thugs invade Ekiti council, chase away councillors, others
NULGE orders workers to stay away from office
ARMED political thugs, yesterday, unleashed mayhem on members of staff and political appointees of Ado Local Council to prevent planned impeachment of the chairman, Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi.
The development occurred around 10.00 a. m. shortly after some councillors arrived at the secretariat to allegedly commence impeachment process against the chairman over alleged highhandedness and gross misconduct.
It was gathered that the hoodlums started shooting sporadically in the air to scare away people.
Some workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the invasion led to a tensed atmosphere and near stampede as people fled to escape being hurt. When The Guardian visited the council around 12: 15 p. m., the secretariat was deserted with all doors opened without anyone, including security men attached to guard the place. But reacting to the unfortunate incident, Fajuyi said she was at the office when she noticed that there was a stampede, which made members of staff to flee in different directions.
The chairman stated that when she came out to inquire why members of staff were fleeing, nothing was seen to warrant such a rowdy atmosphere.
“Though some workers said hoodlums invaded the local council, but I couldn’t see anything that could substantiate that claim.
“I am now at the governor’s office trying to make report and I will also visit the House of Assembly after leaving here. But let me clarify that hoodlums did not invade the council. It was a lie from the pit of hell,” she said.
MEANWHILE, Nigerian Union the of
Local Government Employees ( NULGE), Ekiti State Chapter, has directed its members to stay away from the council until further notice.
The state’s Publicity Secretary, Gbenga Ogunjobi, said the directive became imperative following the breakdown of law and order, which led to humiliation of union members in the hands of hoodlums.
“In view of the fracas that broke out today in Ado Local Council, the union has announced the closure of the local council till further notice when life and property of the staff would have been guaranteed,” he said.
AN octogenarian, Michael Chieme of Umuanum Umunono Village in Nibo, Awka South Council of Anambra State, has petitioned the Chief of Army Staff ( COAS), over alleged involvement of soldiers in the demolition of his country home. He also sent a Save Our Soul ( SOS) message to Inspector General of Police ( IGP), Adamu Mohammed and Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano to intervene and investigate the matter so as to prosecute those who perpetrated the dastardly act against him.
At the centre of alleged engagement of five soldiers and about 30 thugs to execute the demolition was his elder brother, Stephen Chieme, who defied a court order restricting him from ejecting the petitioner.
The embattled octogenarian sent the petition titled: Criminal Conspiracy, Illegal Demolition Of My House, Stealing, Malicious Damage, Unlawful Confinement, Threat To Lives, Breach Of Public Peace, Intimidation And Harassment Of My Family By Stephen Ngenegbo Chieme, Ekene Chieme, Ebele Olise, Five Armed
Soldiers And Over 30 Thugs the authorities
In the petition dated March 12, 2021 and obtained by The Guardian, Chieme accused his elder brother of engaging five soldiers to supervise the demolition of the house, which he said was built on the land their father gave him before he died. In particular, the embattled Michael Chieme, who shares the same mother and second wife of their father, Nwaemelu Iheonwu, demanded that the brother should be made to produce the soldiers and the thugs that demolished the buildto ing to serve as deterrence to others, who might follow the same path
Recounting his ordeal, Chieme, said: “My elder brother was given Isiobu ( ancestral compound of his grandfather, Obuekwe) off Ezi Obukere in Enugo Nono, Nibo by our father, who died in 1979, but I delayed to take possession of my inheritance only for the sons of the first wife of our father, Nwudu Ozo Chieme, to move in and build structure at Isiobu, leaving Stephen with the option of taking over my inheritance from my father by force.
SOME gunmen ha ve stormed a quarry site in Ibadan, Oyo State and kidnapped a bank staff and a construction worker . It was gathered that the gunmen stormed the quarry site located along Ijebu
Ode/ Ibadan Road and kidnapped the victims on Monday.
One Mr. Popoola Isaac, an employee of a construction company and Mr. Ismail Adeoye, an employee of Polaris Bank were the two victims.
The incident occurred at Dalli Village ( Binu Quarry), along Ibadan- Ijebu- Ode Road, and the case has been reported at the Idi Ayunre Police Station. The abduction is coming a few months after some gunmen stormed a quarry site at Akinyele Local Government Area in Ibadan and kidnapped some workers. The Public Relations Officer ( PPRO) of the state police command, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the abduction, said efforts had been intensified to get the victims released.
Fadeyi said: “Efforts are being intensified to get them released and also arrest the abductors. We will do everything to secure their freedom.”