… As Delta CP Calls For Peace In Idumuje-Ugboko
All fingers are allegedly pointing to the self-acclaimed crown prince, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko for importing hoodlums from nearby towns and his mother’s village following the killing of an unidentified youth, invasion of the home of the Iyase of Idumuje-Ugboko (Prime Minister), Chief Chris Ogwu and disruption of academic activities at one of the Secndary Schools in the town.
The suspected hoodlums who have taken over the palace invaded the home of the Iyase where his cars were smashed and broke into his apartment destroying properties worth over N2 million while himself was whisked to the Palace where he was beaten in the front of the Crown Prince.
In the early hours of Wednesday, an unidentified corpse was discovered at the Market Square that led to the closure of shops and women were running for their dear lives.
It was gathered that on Wednesday last week afternoon, another set of hoodlums invaded the Idumuje-Ugboko secondary school and disrupted academics activities, shooting sporadically, where students and teachers were seen running for their dear lives.
Trouble started, on 6th February, 2017 when the erstwhile King, Obi Albert Nwoko III joined his ancestors as announced by the council of Chiefs that led to the power tussle by the two sons, Prince Uche Nwoko the 17-year old secondary school student whose mother is from Idumuje-Ugboko and Prince Nonso Nwoko whose mother is from Ubulu-Uku on who will become the next King.
The Secretary, Land Allocation Committee, Kennedy Iloh, confirmed that Prince Nonso imported thugs from nearby village who came at night and kidnapped him from his house, took him to the Palace where he was thoroughly beaten. “I was kept in their custody for 3 hours before I managed to escape.”
“The reason for this harassment by Prince Nonso is because we questioned the way our Obi died. Obi Albert Nwoko ate in the Morning and went upstairs to relax. Two men later came in, went upstairs and stayed for one hour and came downstairs calling out to the children that their father is dead. They thereafter gathered some relations of the immediate family and while some demanded to see the body of their late father, this same men profusely refused and locked up the whole place.
Immediately, they invited a Benin based lawyer called Mbanefo because they got wind that the family wanted to have a meeting and prepare for the burial. The lawyer canceled the arrangements and said the King should be buried immediately.”
“Prince Nonso Nwoko was crowned the same night with a New Cap and a New Dress meaning that they have prepared for this event, probably to kill him and crown him as the next King. That was how Nonso imported people to guide him and puncture other persons that will oppose him.”
Speaking to our correspondent, the former President General, Idumuje-Ugboko Development Union (IDU) 2008-2012, Eliashi Walters said Ned Nwoko has no
Business with the throne and he is not a candidate to the throne.
“The throne of Idumuje-Ugboko is by qualification, it is not by sponsorship. By our history and our tradition, it is the surviving first son of the departed Obi whose mother must be an indigene.
The two contenders is the Prince Nonso Nwoko, whose mother is from Ubulu-Uku and Prince Uche Nwoko whose mother is from Idumuie-Ugboko and if you go down memory lane, from the first Obi, Obi Nwoko I, his first Son Prince Omoje never ascended the throne because his mother was not an Idumuje-Ugboko person but Prince Omoje married an Ugboko person knowing what he suffered why he did not ascend the throne.
Obi Ikeze Nwoko II, the mother was from Atuma village in Idumuje-Ugboko. when Obi Ikeze died in 1955, the issue of succession came up because the actual first son died. Now it fell on the then Prince Albert Nwoko, the argument came between 1955 to 1981 (26 years) which placed Idumuje-Ugboko in a regency council because the mother of the surviving first son was not from Idumuje-Ugboko, she came from a village called Ugbodu.
The prince who ought to be the king, Prince Demax Nwoko declined the throne. The person that was interested, his mother was was not from Ugboko but from Idumuje-Unor. Now the elders and the chiefs now sat and agreed that he (Late King Albert Nwoko III) must marry a woman from his native land. That was what led late Obi Albert marry an Idumuje-Ugboko woman after his coronation in 1981. At first, the two women he married gave him no child, he then married another woman from the same town, that gave him Prince Uche Nwoko.
Although the mother of Albert Nwoko, the late Obi was not from Idumuje-Ugboko but the proviso which made him king was the waiver that he marries an Idumuje-Ugboko woman, gave him the Kingship.
The issue on ground is that, Nonso Nwoko is been accused of several crimes and he has served two-years imprisonment for Treason and Felony, also he has series of cases in court pending. Such a person cannot be crowned a king as the custom demands. The elders says even if they would be a waiver on Nonso as his late father had, Prince Nonso has a pending case with the Delta State police.
No community will allow a fellow that has criminal pending cases in court to be their king… if you have dishonesty that carries not less than two years imprisonment, it is serious offence and if you have any title in the town, you will be stripped off it.”
Confirming the story, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, in the state, said that there is no recent case of killing in the community but the only one the Police is investigating is the killing of 5 persons which occurred in December 2016 where an 86-year old woman and her 4 grand-children were murdered in cold blood in their home on Christmas Day.
He further declined that he has not heard of any hoodlums attack in Idumuje-Ugboko Secondary school but he noted that Idumuje-Ugboko has Kingship tussle between two blood brothers and that it is a very delicate matter.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Zanna M. Ibrahim psc has called for peace in Idumuje-Ugboko. The CP’s call, Friday 26th May, 2017, came against the backdrop of ongoing crisis in the hitherto quiet village over issue that can be easily resolved. The CP called on the belligerents to sheathe their swords and give room for peaceful and meaningful dialogue to take place towards the enthronement of peace and safety in the village. The CP, who noted that security agencies have so far exercised utmost restraint in the handling of the crisis because of the need to avoid any untoward repercussions, ordered that thugs and cultists mobilized to foment trouble in the community should immediately be kept off the streets, and innocent citizens be allowed right of way and access to their lawful endeavours.
The CP, while appealing for a cessation forthwith of rumor-mongering, hostilities and harassments of any kind, also enjoined stakeholders to honor the invitation for a peace meeting, extended to them by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge Zone ‘5’ Benin scheduled to hold at the AIG’s office in Benin, on Thursday, 1st June, 2017, at10am with a view to finding an acceptable and lasting solution to the crisis.
The CP finally urged the people to heed wise counsel as security agencies may be compelled to use force as a last resort if the crisis situation persists.
