– As Police Commissioner Allegedly Refuses Act On directive
The office of the Imo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is presently on the front burner of public discourse following the expectation of Imo people that he is the right person to curtail the alleged excesses of Chief Amaobi Uwaleke as regards the Obibi Uratta Ezeship stool which he has continued to audaciously lay claim to despite the fact that the Governor Hope Uzodinma administration on assumption of office, issued a Certificate of Recognition and a Staff Office to His Royal Highness, Eze Bon Ariri, as the traditional ruler of Obibi Uratta autonomous community, in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.
A community source who spoke to this reporter said, “Amaobi Uwaleke, as if daring the state government went ahead to mount a big sign post with the inscription, His Royal Majesty, Eze Amaobi Uwaleke, in front of his compound at Umuorii, Uratta.
He recently celebrated his New Yam festival and conferred chieftaincy titles on some people without following due process, as recommended by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs”.
Continuing, the source said, “Amaobi Uwaleke, at the peak of the ezeship tussle, approached the court to determine whether or not he is the traditional ruler of the community. The court, aside giving judgement against him,………….
A source in the Attorney General’s office who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity said, “the leaders and stakeholders in Obibi Uratta autonomous community have proven their case against Amaobi Uwaleke beyond reasonable doubt. They have submitted all necessary documents to the Attorney General, including the bench warrants the court issued against the nine suspects who were arrested and charged to court for unlawful possession of fire arms. They also gave the the Attorney General the confessional statements the suspects made to the police, indicting Uwaleke as the person who gave them the arms and ammunition in their possession, alongside the memo the Inspector General of Police minuited to the Commissioner, Imo State Police Command, directing him to arrest and prosecute Amaobi Uwaleke. Let us wait and see if the Attorney General will act decisively or chicken out like the Commissioner of Police who has, for inexplicable reasons refused to enforce the arrest and prosecute directive of the Inspector General of Police. It is a well known fact that if an armed robbery suspect is arrested and he names any person as their sponsor or accomplice, the next thing is to arrest the person he mentioned.
We are therefore surprised that Uwaleke’s case has become a different ball game. However, I am optimistic that the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Chief C.O.C Akaolisa will not condone this or any other kind of impunity.
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 and Commissioner for Justice, the State government and the Imo State Police Command that has consistently 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 like the Attorney General, who is the Chief Law Officer in the state.
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”.
A cross section of Imo people who commented on the development which they described as the height of impunity, commended the people of Obibi Uratta autonomous community for their patience, tolerance and resolve to seek redress through lawful channels without taking the law into their hands. They urged the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to take decisive action that will negate Amaobi’s boastful claims and speculations in several quarters that he has the capacity to compromise virtually every person he wants to, no matter how highly placed. Hence, his penchant for daring the government and flouting directives.
When contacted, the Chairman, Imo State Traditional Institution and Community Policing, HRM, Eze Emma Okeke, said, “the recognized traditional ruler of Obibi Uratta autonomonous community that we know iis HRH, Eze Bon Ariri. He is the person we relate with. Chief Amaobi Uwaleke is an impostor. He does not attend our meetings and we have nothing in common with him.”
Responding to a question about Uwaleke’s alleged impunity, Eze Okeke said, “as traditional rulers, there is nothing we can do about that because we don’t have the power to arrest, prosecute or enforce Court Orders. We have done the much we can, the rest is left for the relevant agencies of government to do in a bid to ensure sanity,’
