Youths Of Agwa Community Descended On Gov. Rochas Okorocha With Stones And Sachet Water Over Alleged Failed Promises And Non Recognition Of Their Traditional

Damian Dururiheoma, Owerri

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State may be harvesting crisis by the minutes, as youths from Mgbala Agwa Community in Ohaji/Egbema local government area, have added to his headache which was increased by the curse on him, last Sunday, by widows over the abuse meted out to them, allegedly, by his agents and assigns. Still battling to stave off effects of the curse, Okorocha fell victim to youths of Agwa, who descended on his convoy, pelting it with stones, sachet water and wooden rods. Eye witnesses to the drama told The UNION that Okorocha escaped by the hairs breathe. According to our reporter, the situation was saved by the police and other security agents who had to shoot repeatedly into the air to disperse the angry mob.

The incident happened barely one month after the governor was attacked by angry youths in Mmahu Egbema, the headquarters of Ohaji Egbema council area of the state, when he visited the area for his re-election campaign. According to eye witnesses, the incident, which happened at Mgbala Agwa community last weekend, saw the angry youths breaking windshields and windows on about three vehicles on the convoy and seriously denting some others. The youths, it was learnt, are angry with Okorocha for allegedly failing to provide any government presence in their area. They also accuse him of allegedly failing to address the question of their traditional stool which had long been in contention. Community sources told our correspondent that the governor was in the community to campaign but was greeted by angry youths on arrival. According to our sources, some of the aggrieved natives refused that the governor will address them as they disrupted his campaign with anti-Okorocha chants. They also called him names while hurling stones and wooden robs at his convoy. The situation however descended to a free-for-all as few minutes after the governor’s escape, another group of youth, said to be numbering about 200, entered the community and allegedly attacked the anti-Okorocha group.

This, The UNION learnt, led to free for all as the two opposing groups freely used varied weapons on themselves. More than a dozen youths were said to have sustained injuries from the melee. However, the Police has said that “there were no reported fatalities or injuries”, adding that investigations into the attack had begun. The UNION was however told by community residents that some of the youths sustained machete cuts. One eyewitness told The UNION that the angry youths took the decision in response to what they described as the poor governance in the area and inability of the governor to recognise their choice traditional ruler, his involvement in denying the people of the area their right from the State House of Assembly, among other grievances. Commissioner for Petroleum and Environment, Prof. Okey Okoro confirmed the incident. He however denied that the governor’s vehicle was touched by the angry youths.

According to Okoro who said he was not in the convoy, “it was only the last of the buses in the governor’s convoy that was hurled with stones and that there was no incident of police shooting in the air as the situation was not as fierce as some people wanted to make it”. The Imo State Police Command said it was probing the “unfortunate” attack and warned that those found culpable would be made to face the law. Though, the Police Spokesman, Andrew Enwerem, was not available to respond to enquiries from our correspondent, a senior police officer told The UNION that the police would not “fold its arms and allow such unbecoming behaviour by the youths”.

Meanwhile, irate youths from Izombe Town in Oguta LGA of Imo State have threatened to shut down all oil wells managed by Chevron Nigeria Limited if Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Anthony Anwuka does not stop meddling in the affairs of Jisike Regional Development Foundation (JRDF), led by one Mr. Ogochukwu Akopunwanne. JRDF is a community-based organisation (CBO) established based on global memorandum of understanding between the communities in Izombe and the oil exploration companies in the area, including Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL.

The irate youths who besieged office of the SSG last weekend in their numbers, accused the SSG, a native of Oguta LGA, of plotting to dissolve the members of the JRDF who were properly constituted and even recommended to CNL in September 2014 by both the SSG and the state Ministry of Petroleum. The angry youths declared that any attempt to further interfere in the activities of the JRDF by the SSG with intention of dissolving it would be an invitation to chaos, a development they said would not guarantee the operations of the multi-nationals in the area especially Chevron. The UNION gathered that Mr. Akopunwanne-led JRDF was being persecuted because he failed to participate in the All Progressives Congress (APC), House of Assembly primaries for Oguta State Constituency last December, 2014 and had since been termed a PDP member in order to remove him.

The youths accused the Special Adviser to the governor on petroleum, Kamma Nwauwa of fuelling crisis in the area because he wants to control the activities of the foundation. Reacting to the incident, the SSG denied trying to dissolve the JRDF members, saying he only recommended the list of members brought to him by traditional rulers in the area. Prof. Anwuka, who spoke through his political adviser, Chief Clement Maduka, insisted that none of the people in the JRDF was known to him and therefore he could not have made any input if not directed by the leaders of the community. According to him, stakeholders from Izombe including the Special Adviser to the governor on petroleum, Kamma Nwauwa constituted the list and brought it for the SSG for ratification, adding that Prof. Anwuka had no interest in the area because he is not from there.

http://theunion.com.ng/again-youths-attack-okorocha-pelt-convoy-with-stones-wooden-rods/

The curses laid by the widows already in action? The turn out of things in this short time will be quite scary o. We dey watch

The man just begin ni faaa, he never see anything. Widow's curse no dey go in vane

i hope you people will not blame Jonathan for this?

Oil communities in Imo State always giving problems. Abagworo is from Oguta. I need to hear from him.

kodded:
can some body summarize this for me

imagine all this wahala as a govnor and ur total monthly pay is 250k?

Curse don dey manifest. Oo

As usual, an opposition giving out N500 each to that wretched region of the county

berem:
Oil communities in Imo State always giving problems. Abagworo is from Oguta. I need to hear from him.

Pls let the Egbema people come back to Rivers State where they truly belong.

Btw, where is Abagworo??

I learnt he is running away from the state just as the evils of Buhari against the Nigerian soil has chased him away from Nigeria.
Rochas decided to run following news that Unpaid IMO contractors plan to protest for their money.

#APCLIES

Vois populi vois Deus, d of d people is d voice of God. D people re saying no to apc, d party of liars and thugs!