…Police orders immediate arrests
Political hoodlums led by two Development Area Administrators on Wednesday attacked the Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s Ikeoha Foundation Free Eye Treatment Project team at Oghe in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State
The annual project in which an estimated 10,000 people in each of the five local government areas of Enugu West Senatorial Districts are expected to benefit from free eye treatment, free drugs, free eye glasses and free eye surgeries had commenced on November 17 in partnership with Community Eye Savers reportedly started well on its third day at the St. Theresa’s Secondary School, Oghe in Ezeagu LGA when hoodlums suspected to be political thugs stormed the venue to unleash mayhem.
Speaking to reporters, the Executive Director of Ikeoha Foundation, Mrs. Cindy Ezeugwu, said they were totally taken unawares as the Ikeoha Foundation was a household name in the State and its medical mission always looked forward to by the masses.
She said: “We had successfully carried out the 2014 edition of the project in Udi, Oji River, and Awgu local government areas. So, Ezeagu was slated for today. We had set up the venue with canopies and chairs as well as our facilities as usual. We had accredited over 600 people and attended to two elders and Igwe Sylvester Ozoekwem, the traditional ruler of Umumba Ndiuno that morning. The turnout was massive.
“Everything was going on smoothly until over ten thugs led by the Administrator of Ezeagu North Development Area, Hon. Okwudili Onuora popularly called Ayaya and the Administrator of Ezeagu South Development Area, Hon. Chukwudi Ezinwa Ezeagu who also known as Commodore stormed the venue, a catholic school within a Catholic Church premises, and commanded us to stop attending to the people. They said we should pack our things, but we told them we must inform the community, the people we were serving. While we were trying to explain with even the people protesting, they descended on us and the venue, destroying the canopies, breaking the chairs, some on people’s heads. They inflicted so much injury on my people, very deep wounds and gashes. They destroyed some equipment and confiscating our cameras, tapes, and memory cards. Our Fundraising Manager, Obiora Obasi and Cameraman, Ogoo Chinedu, for instance, sustained deep cuts. Ogoo’s nose was broken and he fainted. The commotion and mayhem was just too much”.
The Executive Director said the police eventually intervened, although the Administrators were released almost immediately they got to the Aguobuowa Divisional Station.
Asked if she read any political meanings to the incident, knowing that the Development Area Administrators were political appointees of the State, Mrs. Ezeugwu said she was not a politician and did not want to get involved in Enugu politics.
She explained: “All I know is that the Ikeoha Foundation has so far strictly stayed out of politics; even when this year schools were barred from participating in the Ikeoha Quiz Competition where winning schools and runners up usually take home educational equipment, while the students themselves get N500,000 each once they gained admission into the University, we refused to go public about it. When we procured 20,000 units of anti-malarial drugs from a highly reputable international pharmaceutical company for distribution to health facilities in the senatorial district to curb the high incidences of malaria-related sickness and death and it was sabotaged, we refused to talk, just to stay out of politics.
“This particular programme was well publicised and it is something the Foundation has been into over the years to help our people. So, I don’t know why anybody in his or her right would conceive idea of attacking us our partners and medical team working for the good of the poor masses. It is so unfortunate”.
One of the victims, Mr. Obiora Obasi, Programme Officer whose head and arms were badly broken told reporters amidst bleeding at an Enugu private hospital that he was beaten to stupour.
In his account, a Programme Officer at the Foundation, Mr. Uzo Michael, said he left to Enugu with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Donald due to a petition by the Chairman of the Local Government claiming members of the medical team were coming to demonstrate and cause trouble, hence should be stopped.
“The DPO and I went to see the Police Commissioner who after listening to me said it was a noble cause and that I should return to the Oghe to continue with the programme; but on return, I saw the whole place so riotous like a war zone”, he added.
It could be recalled that contractor handling the National Youth Development Centre attracted to Ezeagu LGA by Senator Ekweremadu was initially prevented by the Council Chairman from commencing work at the cite last year, causing delay.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu said the Commissioner of Police had ordered that the culprits be arrested immediately and brought to the State headquarters, while full investigation should commence.
