In Aji, Enugu Ezike, the Omeje family from the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State is raising their voices against Simon Atigwe, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.
They claim Atigwe employed the Nigeria Police Force and thugs in an alleged attack and brutalization linked to a family land dispute.
Confirming his marital connection to the Omeje family, Atigwe is accused of orchestrating the imprisonment of Sunday, one of the family’s eldest sons, concerning the land matter.
According to Joy Ginikachi Omeje, one of the victims, who said she works in a community development Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), said that she travelled to the village with her two elder brothers on June 17, to see her parents, when they found out that her brothers in the village were having the land dispute. She recounted,
“One of my younger brothers, Emmanuel Izuchukwu Omeje, who works for Simon Atigwe was part of the problem.”
“One thing led to another, we had more family conflicts and along the line, my younger brother, Izuchukwu sustained injury. It rained that day and the land was slippery.
“In the process of dragging me, he slipped to the ground and broke his head slightly. His head and his leg broke too. No one could explain how it all happened and we rushed him to hospital.
“Minutes later, some notorious armed boys recruited by Simon Atigwe… arrested both me, my sister, and my brother. They took us to the market square and treated us like thieves, tying our hands, laying us on the floor, and flogging us mercilessly.”
Explaining further, she said,
“Police later came on the order of Simon Atigwe and took us and locked us up. We slept in the police cell and the next day, we struggled to get bail, though Simon Atigwe ordered the police to deny us bail.
“That same day, I found out that my lexus 330 Jeep had been vandalised and my valuables stolen by the same group of boys who tormented us.
“Some police officers told me that the destruction of my car is related to a political issue. Based on what Simon Atigwe said, I knew he is one of the politicians who have been looking for a way to punish me because I’m strict and transparent.”
Joy took legal action by petitioning the Inspector General of Police in Abuja, and from Abuja, the IGP directed the petition back to the Enugu State Commissioner of Police leading to the arrest of one of the assailants.
“They requested money to proceed for arrest and I paid. They arrested the leader of the group who flogged us but after two days, Simon Atigwe came by himself to the Ogurute Police Station and bailed the guy,” she said.
She further accused Atigwe of bribery, stating,
“He bribed his way from the police commissioner to the least of the officers involved in the case,” This took place from September 24-30, but till now, the police has played deaf ear to the case.”
She told SaharaReporters that she went to the police station a few days ago to find out why the police is delaying to release their investigation report but “they asked me for money with different excuses. They said the money I paid before has finished.”
Joy explained that her older brother, Sunday, is presently incarcerated based on Atigwe’s directive. This stems from allegations made by her younger brother, Izuchukwu, claiming that Sunday had barred him from accessing his poultry farm situated on the contentious land.
Joy asserted that the land, shared for years by her brother Jude, who resides overseas, has been a source of discord between Sunday and Izuchukwu.
On why Sunday was arrested, she said that,
“Because Jude stays abroad, Izuchukwu lives in Jude’s house and Sunday gave Izuchukwu some portion of his own land for poultry farm, but when Izuchukwu and Sunday started having issues constantly, Jude asked Izuchukwu to leave his house and he parked out.
“He left Jude’s gate open and Jude asked Sunday to lock the gate but when Izuchukwu came and saw the gate locked, he went to the police and reported that Sunday denied him access to his farm which is in Sunday’s compound.
“The police went to Sunday’s compound and saw what happened and that Sunday was not guilty of anything but the DPO insisted that he must get permission from Simon Atigwe before he can grant Sunday bail. For that reason, Sunday remained in jail.”
She said that Sunday was sent to prison on Wednesday on trumped up charges of denying Izuchukwu access to his poultry farm, leading to the death of his birds, “amongst other charges that I don’t understand.”
Upon reaching out, Atigwe, who confirmed his marital ties to the younger daughter of the family, acknowledged an ongoing family issue. However, he neither affirmed nor refuted the use of police and thugs in the reported attack on Joy and her siblings.
Presently in Abuja for personal engagements, Atigwe assured that he would provide detailed information on the matter. He attributed the allegations to his political opponents, asserting that they aim to tarnish his image amidst the competition for the Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency seat.
“I am in Abuja now as you know that we are still preparing for the by-election because our election was canceled. I will give you details of what is happening there. Just for you to know, I am part of the family because I am married to their younger sister.
“It is just that what I see is that it is the work of my opponents who want to tarnish my image at this period, but I will tell you what is going on,” Atigwe conveyed to SaharaReporters over the phone.
As of now, Atigwe has not provided additional details as promised, leaving the allegations and counterclaims unresolved.
| Sahara Reporters
