By Chuks Eke
The Anambra State chairman of Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ven. Joseph Nweke, has accused some officials of Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency, ARTMA of attacking him and looting his vehicle at the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, DMGS round-about axis in Onitsha on Friday afternoon in the name of traffic control.
He alleged the ARTMA officials gave him several blows and battered him for questioning their identity when they pounced on him for allegedly committing a traffic offence.
He confirmed that the officials, acting in a commando style, took away his car battery, plate number, money, among other valuables on the process and they quickly zoomed off to avoid reprisal attack by sympathizers who rained curses on them for attacking a cleric.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the attackers, Ven. Nweke said, “I escaped being killed eight hours to my Diamond jubilee celebration, (60 years birthday, billed for today, Saturday by hoodlums who claimed to be working for the state government.
“I invited Governor Charles Soludo to the celebration which I will play host to guests who will come from all walks of life as it is a celebration of my stay on earth for now and service to God and humanity,” he stated.
“My problem started with them when I was driving after the DMGS round-about and a tricycle in front of me was stopped by the gang that were on plain clothes. On the process one of them rushed to me and asked me why I was blocking the road and I told him that the tricycle they stopped was the cause as it was in front of me.
“He immediately started dragging with my car key and on the process his members started looting my car, they removed the battery, plate number, all that were in the pigeon hole, including a huge amount of money which I cannot estimate the value for now”.
“They quickly rushed and put on their aprons when sympathizers were shouting that they were criminals and fled the scene”.
“I have reported the incident to the Onitsha Police Area Commander, Mr. Gregory Itobore and the Inland Town Divisional Police Officer, Mrs Tina Okeke who asked her men to ensure the safety of the car that was abandoned at the scene of the incident,” he stated.
Confirming the incident, the DPO, Mrs. Okeke told newsmen in her office that she had heard several negative stories against the ARTMA officials in terms of assaulting and occasioning harms on road users in the name of checkmating traffic offences.
