The people of Agunese-Mmaku under the auspices of The League of Agunese-Mmaku Professionals, Agunese-Mmaku Autonomous Community, Awgu LGA have sued their traditional ruler, HRH Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi to court over allegedly trampling on their human right.

Calling on the attention of the Enugu State Government and the general public to curtail the reign of terror presently unleashed in their Community by their traditional ruler, the suit which was filed by Chief Chuka Ochie, Chief Odinaka Okoli, Okafor Paddy Chijioke and 16 others, had the traditional ruler, Igwe Nevobasi, the Inspector-General of Police, Enugu State Commissioner of police, DSS, Lazarus Udeogbuke, Patrick Ochi, among others as defendants.

UGAMATV learnt that the suit, currently before an Enugu State High Court, is seeking an order of the court “restraining the 5th-8th respondents from arresting, harassing and intimidating the applicants or infringing on their rights in contravention of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria.

Addressing the dire issue, they explained that the Igwe has usurped the functions of the Town Union, truncated their scheduled Town Union election last December 30, 2021 on excuses of directives from the Hon. Commissioner for Rural Development; and insecurity, and has unilaterally imposed a Caretaker Committee.

“Since January 3, 2022 Igwe Nevobasi has terrorized our people with security operatives on trumped up charges; and currently most of our people are in hiding and living in fear of their lives”, they said.

Describing Igwe Nevobasi’s claim of directive from the Commissioner or insecurity during the election as baseless and unfounded due to the presence of a combined team of security operatives that was officially detailed to monitor the election, they condemned the deliberate absence of the Commissioner for Rural Development, Prince Emeka Mamah or any representative from his Ministry to observe the election despite being informed giving his word to be present.

“We do not want to believe Igwe Nevobasi’s rhetoric and grandstanding before our people that he asked the Commissioner not to come or send any person from his Ministry. If this is true then we can only remark that it is regrettable.

“Following the truncation of the scheduled town union election, Igwe Nevobasi has over-reached his constitutional boundaries by single-handedly constituting a Caretaker Committee, without the authorization of the Ministry of Rural Development; and imposed the former President General, whose tenure has elapsed, Sir Laz Udeh, as Chairman.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Agunese Mmaku Autonomous Community presently has no President-General either on interim or substantive capacities. We do not recognize the existence of any Caretaker Committee. The actions of the Igwe, going by the Enugu State Edict on Chieftaincy Matters and other extant laws, are ultra vires, and to that extent remain null and void and of no effect”, they said.

Emphasizing on the igwe’s reign of terror, they revealed that he Igwe had generated a petition listing 16 prominent sons of the community as members and sponsors of IPOB, ESN and Unknown Gunmen, with the intention of silencing all voices in the community.

“These men have been declared “WANTED” by the security agencies with a bounty of N1million placed on each of them by the Igwe. We have consequently put the Enugu State Government and the general public on notice that Agunese-Mmaku Autonomous Community is speedily descending into chaos and if nothing urgent is done, the situation could snowball into serious violence.

“He has also boasted that he will use his connection with the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS and even the Government of Enugu State to maximum effect in eliminating all dissenting voices in the community. We are constrained to inform the Government and the public that Igwe Nevobasi has a track record of violence and would stop at nothing to make good his threats”, they said.

They consequently called on the Enugu State Government, to intervene in the matter and prevail on the Igwe to refrain from appropriating to himself the functions of the Town Union or constituting himself a cog in the wheel of progress.

Concluding, they added “Our people are law-abiding with a strong democratic bent; and we will not stand idly-by and watch any person create anarchy in our community. We will resist such attempt with all our might irrespective of whose ox is gored. Let no one be in doubt of this”.