Abakaliki
Ikwo local government council headquarters in Ebonyi state was
yesterday deserted by the workers over suspicion of juju planted in
the council’s facilities.
The development came up just five days after the new council chairman;
Mr. Moses Nwekoyo was sworn-in with some persons alleging that the
immediate past chairman, Mr. Celestine Nweme planted juju within the
area, an allegation he said was false.
The scary discovery was at Ikwo South Development Center, of the Ikwo Local
Government Area of the State following alleged discovery and burning
of suspected charms planted by an unknown person at the Development
Center headquarters.
It was gathered that youth, elders and other concerned citizens of
the Development center who trooped to the center when the information
filtered in expressed shock over the discovery.
An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity alleged that a former Council boss
of the Local Government Area was alleged to have planted the charms in
the Development Center pointing out that youth who besieged the
council headquarters on getting the information attempted beating up
the former council boss but for the quick intervention of the elders
who rescued the council boss.
According to him; “on Sunday, we got information that a Former Council
Boss went to the Development Center to plant juju, youths of the
development center sited him with another man suspected to be a native
doctor, on further inquiry, it was suspected that he was at the
development center to plant juju there”.
“The youths who were visibly agree with his action wanted to beat him
up but the elders of the development center who rushed to the scene of
the incident pleaded with the youths to spear the former council boss.
We were shocked that a council boss who’s tenured had expired and
another Council Boss sworn-in was still sited at the council
headquarters”.
“The youths, the elders and indeed the entire community expressed
shock following the discovery. The question burning for answers is,
what is his mission in the development center?, since his tenure has
expired, is he still expected to carry out any function at the council
headquarters without the current Chairman”.
“The matter has been reported to the elders and the entire community;
soon he would be summoned by the community to explain his mission to
the development center. Politicians should stop exhibiting acts of
desperation, someone should gently bow out if his tenure expires and
should not be seen going in and out of the council headquarters”.
When contacted, the immediate past council Chairman of the Local
Government Hon Celestine Nweme described the allegation as
frivolous and calculated attempt to undermine his personality.
According to him; “I arranged with some laborers to go to the
development center to clear the bushes at the skill acquisition center
constructed by my administration which I wanted to show the incoming
council chairman, while they were clearing the bushes, the laborers
discovered a charm and informed me”.
“I had to inform the elders who came and uprooted the charm and burnt
it, unfortunately people started spreading rumor that I wanted to
plant charm at the council headquarters. I never wanted to plant any
charm nor did I plant any charm. So the rumor is false and attempts to
tarnish my good name”.
In a reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO DSP Sylvester
Igbo said that when he contacted the Divisional Police Officer
in-charge of Ikwo local Government Area, he disclosed that he was
contacted by the Head of Personal Management HPM of the Development
center that something was burnt by an unknown person at the
development center.
He noted that on getting to the scene, he made inquiry on those that
may have perpetrated the act adding that efforts to get those
responsibly for the act proved abortive.
