Protest rocks Enugu community over State Assembly poll

By Tony Edike
SOME angry youths in the Igala-speaking Ette community of Igbo-Eze North local government area of Enugu State, yesterday, took to the streets to protest the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Igbo-Eze North II constituency in the State House of Assembly election, Mr. Tony Ogidi.

Some people were wounded in the attack, while two persons were reportedly arrested by soldiers who rushed from Enugu Ezike to quell the riot.

Reports from the community said the youths, who were armed with dangerous weapons, chanting war songs, marched to the house of the Legislator-elect in the early hours of yesterday and vandalized the house after ransacking the building in the absence of the lawmaker.

His car was reportedly set ablaze by the youths who also went to his petrol station in the town and smashed the glasses of the building, just as they attacked the residence of some government officials, including that of the councillor representing the community.

Sources said the youths were angered by the participation of Ogidi in the State Assembly election after their leaders had continually protested their inclusion in Enugu State and were agitating to be returned to Kogi State where they rightly belong.

Ette people had been clamouring to join their kit and kin in Kogi State for sometime now, but during the voters registration last year, youths in the community prevented INEC officials from registering them as voters in Enugu State.

This reportedly led to the registration of only about 200 voters in the highly populated community as the natives demanded to be registered as voters in Kogi State.

The request was, however, turned down as the INEC officials deployed for the exercise in communities along the Kogi-Enugu boundary declined.

It was further learnt that the natives were warned not to participate in Enugu State elections but the lawmaker-elect ignored the directive and went ahead to contest the House of Assembly poll which he won convincingly on Tuesday.

His alleged disobedience sparked off yesterday’s protest which seriously threatened the peace of the community and forced some natives to run to neighbouring villages for safety.

Speaking on the protest, the Chairman of Igbo-Eze North local government area, Chijioke Ugwu said some misguided youths in the community were responsible for the incident which had been brought under control by security men.

“The youths used stones to destroy the glasses of the Honourable member’s house and that of the councillor representing the area.

“They also went to the lawmaker’s Petrol Station and damaged the glasses. Immediately I got the information I alerted the military men who rushed to the place and brought the situation under control,” the council chairman said.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the report but stated that it was not a post-election violence.

He said that a car was set ablaze in the incident, promising that the protest would be investigated.