Arrest Of Chief Pius Nweke: A Pure Act Of Intimidation Of Abba Community – COSEYL

Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the umbrella body of all the youth organizations in the South East zone condemns strongly the arrest of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Best Aluminum Manufacturing Company, Onitsha, Chief Pius Nweke by the IGP’s Special Tactical Section (STS) of the Nigeria Police Force around Awada, near Onitsha.

COSEYL, in a press statement signed by its President General, Hon Goodluck Ibem, described the arrest as a clear act of intimidation of the Abba Community and the Igbo nation at large”.

According to the group, “Chief Nweke is a legitimate businessman, a good Christian who has never been involved in any act of dishonesty or any form of questionable character let alone crime or heist”.

Read the full statement below…

“For quite some time now, so many persons from Abba have been randomly arrested for illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery and other related violent crimes (with Fulani herdsmen being excluded because they are licensed to kill and commit crime and carnage and go scot-free) with their matters treated and handled by the State Police Command.

“But the case of Chief Nweze is different as it smacks of hypocrisy and suspicion. He was arrested and immediately whisked away to Abuja which clearly shows that there is more than meets the ordinary eye in this matter. Could somebody somewhere be pulling the strings against this innocent billionaire just because he is an illustrious indigene of Abba community?

“The Coalition observes that the people of Abba community have been having a running boundary dispute over ownership of an expanse of land known as “Agu-Abba” with her neighboring Ukpo community and it is very unfortunate that some persons will allow themselves to be used as a tool to create disaffection and mistrust between two neighboring communities that have lived in peace before now.

“One does not learn or acquire the use of one’s left hand at old age”, a wise saying goes. Does it mean that Chief Nweke who can afford the service of security agents or at least local vigilante group has learned how to carry about weapons like assault rifle at old age? Those that are sponsoring Chief Nweke’s detention and humiliation under the presumed notion that he is the one sponsoring his Community financially to fight for the disputed land “Agu-Abba” are the archenemy of Ndigbo in general, men of the underworld.

“The protesters of Abba community during their peaceful demonstration said that Chief Nweke was arrested, at gunpoint with the gun forcibly put in his hands later to be cuffed like a common criminal and finally whisked away to Abuja. Some of the protesters also believed he was abducted by the police. It is so unfortunate this kind of incident will be happening in a peace-loving state of Anambra.

“It is therefore ridiculous that in the same Anambra state, precisely within Awka, Fulani herdsmen were seen in broad daylight moving and milling around the town with high calibre weapons including AK 47 riffles hung on their necks, slanting down their shoulders and that when the leaders of the community summoned the Fulani Myetti Allah members to explain why their herders were illegally carrying firearms around and about host community in peacetime, their leaders responded before the police authorities who were present in the meeting that their herders will always carry firearms about everywhere they are going!

“The Anambra state Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang and the IGP did not arrest or prosecute those Myetti Allah members, neither did they retrieve those firearms in the possession of the herders. Up till now, those Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) members are still at large, so for what genuine reason is Mr. Nweke still being detained without trial? This police meddlesomeness is capable of tearing further apart the social fabric of the nation and is also a slight on Ndigbo.

“We demand for thorough investigation to unravel how the gun got into Mr. Nweke’s hand whether by intention or by frame up or conspiracy as alleged by the Abba peaceful protesters while calling also for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Nweke until he is found guilty by a law court of the land.

“This illegal detention is clearly against his rights as a human, Igbo son and a Nigerian. We call on those sponsoring this act to desist forthwith as a house divided against itself cannot stand.

“The law prohibiting possession of firearms is not meant for the people of South East alone. The law is meant for everyone and MACBAN is not exempted from that law and so when is the police beginning their prosecution of these herders operating under MACBAN for the numerous atrocious crimes committed against the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

“Lastly, we call on Governor Willie Obiano who is the Chief Security Officer of the state to, as a matter of urgency, resolve the land dispute between the two communities. Indigenes of Anambra state are brothers and sisters and it should remain so. Enough of the squabbles.