Anambra Community Residents Protest Destruction of Properties by Indigenes

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Residents of Iyiowa Odekpe town in Ogbaru Local Government Area have protested the destruction of their properties by indigenes of the town, over their resistance to be extorted through revenue collection.

The residents, who held a peaceful protest at the Anambra State government house said they hail from various parts of the South-east and settled in Iyiowa Odekpe, but  are surprised that despite the ownership of their properties in the area, the indigenes keep molesting and extorting them.

The leader of the protest, Dr. Tony Chukwunoso Princewill, who spoke  at the government house, said the indigenes  invaded them last week Wednesday and destroyed buildings, cars, shops and wares worth millions.

“A total of 10 storey buildings and 30 vehicles were burnt down by the hoodlums. The hoodlums also inflicted bodily injuries to residents during the attack. The problem stated when we refused to continue to pay multiple levies to them.

“In the lay-out we have over 10,000 stores and every quarter of the month we are forced to pay N10,000 mandatory levies to them. We pay N10,000 for every store.

“In fact, we now pay them for anything we do in our houses we build with our own hard earned money.

“We have reported the matter to the police authorities and the State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Matters, Hon Tony Collins Nwabunwanne for prompt action but up till this moment, no positive response has been made.

“So we are calling on the state government to help us look into the matter and find an actionable way of resolving the issue.”

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, who addressed the protesters, condemned the incidence, ordering that anyone involved in the act must be apprehended and brought to book.

Soludo, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi assured the protesters that government will intervene.