The youths of Ugwati Community attacked the team of the Enyimba Economic City led by Mr. David Akoma in Ukwa West on Wednesday, which left one of the youths dead, and Mr. David severely injured.
Newsleverage reported that trouble started when the youths tried to disarm the policemen but were shot in response, and he died instantly.
For more clarification, it should be noted that the Abia State Government does not own the Enyimba Economic City but is a shareholder to the project as well as the communities who have donated their lands for the project.
As such, Ugwati is among the villages in Ukwa West, Ukwa East, and Ugwunagbo covered by the EEC projects and not the only ones involved. To make sure that the communities were duly involved, the Eze Ogburu represented the communities when the Federal Government signed the EEC project. This was done to protect the interest of the communities engaged by making them shareholders.
The EEC project starts from Ugwunagbo to Ukwa West and East; others have been mapped out and will keep doing it. You can also recall that the Ugwati community is the village of a notorious kidnapper Osisikankwu.
We had a little chat with Mr. David to ascertain what really happened on the said day;
Can you tell us your name?
My name is David Akomas. What happened in Ugwati was an unfortunate incident. The community leaders invited us to come to their community based on the land mapped out for the EEC projects. We went there to survey the area. We mobilized a team to survey the land, but when we arrived there, what we saw was a different thing.
We saw some people standing behind the town hall. I asked if they were ready for the exercise, they insisted that we come into the town hall, we told them we weren’t there for any briefing. When we got in, everywhere was rowdy, and the youths were shouting. The elders told us to address them; I reminded them that we weren’t there for any briefing. They insisted, and I said to them that they invited us for the land surveying, and they asked who told us. They started delaying, and within 20 minutes, we saw many Okada riders with machetes and other harmful objects. They were shouting, ‘where is he? You must die today’.
The mobile policemen knew something was up, and I had to shift, knowing that they were after me. I knew I wasn’t safe, so I was praying. They started breaking bottles and other things; I heard the sounds.
I told them I was their brother, a native of Umuaka, and would not deceive them and that the project will benefit the community. The government already said to us that whatever we are doing that we should carry the community along, especially the rightful owners of the lands.
This was the reason we honoured the invitation to survey the land. We have been going to the communities, so it wasn’t new. My family’s land was affected, and we have done sensitization over the lands, so this wasn’t new, and there is nobody that will say they are not aware.
At what point did the policeman shoot late Nwakanma Ogbuji?
From the eyewitnesses account because I was running for my life. They said the late Ogbuji tried to disarm him, and you know very well that a police officer will never let anyone disarm him, so he shot him in response to the attack, and that led to the death of the youth.
From the report, we heard that the communities were not carried along?
That’s not true. This was not our first visit. We have visited Ugwati over five times, and we have never experienced that. We were somewhere when they invited us to the survey of the land. So that was why we went there so that they will map out everybody’s land and everyone will know and give out their land. We wanted everyone to be aware of what was happening to avoid anybody being cheated tomorrow.
What was the bone of contention for the youths who attacked them?
It might be that some of the youths were sponsored or politically motivated. Where it pained me was that they would be the ones to benefit from the project.
Is it possible that people from other communities might have attacked you and not Ugwati people?
They wouldn’t do that without the help of the people there. I’m from Umuaka, a neighbouring village to Ugwati.
What was the reaction of your community about the EEC project since you said you are from a neighbouring town to Ugwati?
They welcomed the development because it will generate jobs for the youths of the village.
How many vehicles were you with?
Two. A Bus and the officer’s vehicle.
What did the elders who you were with do when the attack started?
The elders were helpless, and at this point, everybody was running to their safety.
How many persons were injured from my team?
My surveyor and i. The driver ran away, so they destroyed the bus.
Can you take us through your escape?
I escaped through the help of a villager there. When they used a bottle on my head and a machete on my hand, I was helpless and used the time to run and call people from there. I called the Chief of Staff to the Governor and others, and they sent a team of SARS to the rescue.
Thank you very much.
