– Still Parades Self As Traditional Ruler Contrary To Gov’s Directive
– As Imo Police Commissioner Refuses To Enforce Bench Warrant
There are reports that despite His Royal Highness, Eze Bob Ariri’s enthronement, recognition and presentation of a Staff of Office by the Senator Hope Uzodinma-led administration, as the Traditional ruler of Obibi Uratta autonomous community, in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state, Chief Amaobi Uwaleke, has continued to dare the Attorney General, the Imo State Police Command and the State government by parading himself as the traditional ruler of Obibi Uratta autonomous community, to the extent of mounting a gigantic sign post bearing. “His Royal Majesty, Eze Amaobi Uwaleke in front of his compound at Umuorii, Uratta without commensurate reprisal.
Some residents of the area who spoke to this reporter, said, “Chief Amaobi Uwaleke has continuously shown disdain and absolute disregard for the office of the Attorney General, the State government and the Imo State Police Command that has for inexplicable reasons refused to enforce a bench warrant issued against nine suspects who were arrested and charged for unlawful possession of firearms after they had in their confessional statements said that Chief Amaobi Uwaleke employed and equipped them with the arms and ammunition they were caught with at Orie Uratta when they came to the disrupt the traditional ‘Onwa Oru’ festival on February 17, 2024.
Aside this, the Imo State Commissioner of Police has also refused to arrest and prosecute Amaobi Uwaleke for parading questionable documents as directed by the Inspector General of Police. When some stakeholders in Obibi Uratta met him to know why he does not want to comply with the IGP’s directive, he reportedly told them to seek the assistance of a higher authority.
It is also on record that Uwaleke, approached the court to determine whether or not he is the traditional ruler of the community. The court, aside giving judgement against him, said that “the documents he was parading were spurious” and awarded Two Hundred Thousand Naira cost in favour of the Defendants. The court also ordered that he should be arrested and prosecuted for flaunting spurious documents. An Order the Imo state Commissioner of Police is inexplicably yet to enforce”
Another source who also expressed disappointment over the way the matter is being handled as if Chief Amaobi Uwaleke is above the law said, “it is surprising that this matter marked, HOW/47C/2024 is between the State and the 9 accused persons, namely Mboma Cyprian, Akuta Chiedozie, Nlemigbo Ekene, Nwabueze Eze, Lugard Ukaonu, Augustine Chukuemeka Osuji, Ugochukwu Acholonu and Micheal Uchenna Ninikanwa, who all confessed to the crime for which they were charged.
A Prosecutor from the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice urged the court to issue a bench warrant against the accused when they failed to appear in court on two consecutive occasions and the Court obliged. Yet the Police has bluntly refused to enforce the bench warrant or prosecute Chief Amaobi Uwaleke as ordered by the court and also recommended in the “Conclusion/ Recommendation” of the Police investigation report signed by the Commander of Scorpion Unit of the Imo State Police Command CSP Vitalis Onugu. The report reads, “CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATION: On the 17th of February, 2024, there was Onwa-Oru Festival of Uratta, Owerri North L.G.A, Imo State. The suspects, while armed with pump action guns and dane guns, stormed the venue. They chased away people mounting canopies, damaged some and assaulted one Hon. Jude Chikwendu. The suspects claimed all the guns were issued to them by Chief Amobi Uwaleke in his house. None of the suspects possess a licence for the arms/ammunition and a!! Their identity cards were signed by Chief Amobi Uwaleke. To this end, it is our recommendation that the suspects be charged to Court for the offences of Conspiracy/ Unlawful Possession of firearms/ Assault Occasioning harm and Conduct likely to cause breach of the peace. It is further recommended that Chief Amaobi Uwaleke be charged along with the suspects for Procuring the arms and ammunition for the suspects”.
It was also gathered that the nine persons who said that Amaobi Uwaleke employed and unilaterally equipped them with arms and ammunition are not members of the community’s Vigilante Group, certified by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs whose names are with the relevant agencies of government, including the Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDSC) Owerri North LGA, the Imo State Traditional Institution and Community Policing, presided over by the Eze Imo, among others
Effort to reach Chief Uwaleke for comment proved abortive as he did not respond to calls and text messages sent to him as at press time.
