BY NATIONAL PANEL REPORTERS
Mr. Mbada Okereke, a man with disabilities.
Mr. Mbada Okereke, a physically challenged man and a native of Ndieguazu Umuoghara in Ezza North Local Government Area, has petitioned to the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Aliyu Garba over the inhuman attitude meted on him by one Mr Igwe Friday and his cohort, Monday Usulor Nwafor.
CP Aliyu Garba, Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command.
Our newsmen learnt that the suspected hoodlums, Mr Igwe Friday and Monday Usulor Nwafor, had allegedly unleashed mayhems on the person with disabilities, Mbada Okereke, who accused the duo of armed robbery, attempted murder and other grievous harms against him, leading to the destruction of his 9 bedroom flats and other valuables.
The petition.
Mbada in his petition dated 22nd November, 2021 which was addressed to the Commissioner of Police, said that the alleged criminals attacked him with matchetes at his Ohinya Village in Ndieguazu Umuoghara Community in Ezza North LGA at 12 midnight, while closing his shop.
Mbada's compound growing bushy, with debrises of his destroyed building and his compound's entrance now cultivated.
He said that the alleged criminals also robbed him off the sum of 200,000. 00 Naira, the money he realized from the sales, which he planned to use and buy wares in the market the following day.
According to Mbada's petition, "On 25th March, 2021, these criminals - Mr Igwe Friday and Monday Usulor Nwafor, attacked me with matchetes at Ohinya Village at 12midnight while I closed from my shop.
"I was robbed off the cash, sum of N200,000.00 been the money I realized from the sales, planning to take to the market the next day.
"During the robbery I was cut on the head which made me to fall unconscious.
"I managed and reported the case at Ezza North Police Division, where I was taken to the Community Health Centre, Ezza North for treatment."
He said that the police have not been able to arrest any of the accused persons till date.
"The police were unable to arrest the criminals till date.
"After second week of the robbery, the same people came to my house threatening to kill me but later they destroyed my building for no just cause," he said.
Mbada said that while filling the report to the state Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, he attached photographs of the the police medical proforma, attack on him and his destroyed building, which cost him not less than 3 million Naira before completely erected and furnished.
He, however, appealed to the the Police Commissioner to please use his good office to thoroughly investigate the allegations, with a view of bringing justice to a physically challenged person like him.
"It is my humble appeal that you shall use your good office to thoroughly investigate this allegation with a view of bringing justice to a physically challenged person like me.
"Apprehend these elements of criminals and their cohorts and possibly charge them to court for justice.
"I shall stand on your urgent attention, please," he requested.
Mbada Okereke while crying out for help told Journalists in Abakaliki that the destruction of his house, made him and his family members to be sleeping under a tree.
He equally called on government and other relevant authorities to come to his aid and bring the culprit to book, saying that the community leaders and local government authourities were aware of the ugly incidence.
HRH Eze Nweke Igbo, the traditional ruler of Umuoghara Autonomous Community.
Reacting, the Traditional Ruler of Umuoghara Autonomous Community Ezza North Local Government Area Ebonyi State, His Royal Highness Eze Nweke Igbo called on the relevant authourities to quickly intervene in the case, expressed sadness on how the right of the person with disabilities has been trampled upon.
Eze Nweke Igbo narrated how Mr Mbada Okereke has been living in the community for centuries was maimed and almost killed by Mr Friday Igwe who happens to be his landlord in the community.
In his words: Mbada is still alive today because of God’s mercy. Mbada Okereke is a law abiding citizen and physically challenged person residing in Community. I'm sharing tears about the man's treatment by the hoodlums. Those who said they don't want strangers in their land even though the Aro-man is not fully a stranger. He was born and breaded here. Sometime, there was a type of conspiracy here, to kill the Aro-man, but I told them no! We are Nigerians, apart being all Nigerians, we are all Igbo people and Ezza people live everywhere. Why should you conspire against somebody who is even paralyzed. He is a person with disabilities, he doesn't work straight, and the boy has been trying to live, maintaining about ten to eleven children, with his two wives.
"Mbada’s father was born in this community, so as Mbada Okereke too. This young disabled man bought 16 plots of land from Mr Friday Igwe who happens to be his landlord, the land was well documented and so, after the death of Friday Igwe’s father, he tormented Mr Mbada and committed a lot of crimes against Mbada ranging from chasing him away from 9 bedroom flats he has already built.
“As I talk to you, the disabled’s house has been destroyed to the ground level, Friday Igwe and his cohorts have looted all the materials used for the building.
You can’t find a pin in that place”
“The worst part of the crime was that the so called Friday Igwe defecated and forcefully used the feaces to feed the wife of the disabled person simply because the man cannot walk without clutches."
Eze Nweke Igbo said the hoodlum with his cohorts also broke the shop where this disabled person was doing his business and made away with all the items in the shop with a huge cash, calling the relevant authourities to intervene.
“I call on the government of Ebonyi State headed by Engineer David Umahi, security agencies, human rights bodies to come to the rescue of the disabled man and to ensure that he returns back to his home," he requested.
He added that there was a conspiracy by the people living around Mbada to chase him away from that place simply because he is an Arochukwu man who was born in Ezza North.
He said "that shouldn’t be because we are all Nigerians and could live at anywhere in the country. Ezza people are living everywhere in Nigeria, why should he be chased away from his place of birth."
All efforts made by our newsman to reach the accused persons, Friday Igwe, and Monday Usulor Nwafor proved abortive as the duo were said to have been at large after destroying the physically challenged person’s house.
NATIONAL PANEL gathered that the Police have been working towards the arrest of the accused persons, though, when contacted Ebonyi Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah on telephone, said, she would call back as she was in the management meeting as at the time of filing this report.
