…As Community Youths Render Rtd Soldier, Family Homeless
There is palpable fear and tension in Eligbolo Community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State since a month ago some youths from the community came in their numbers fully armed deroofed and vandalized the property of retired Captain Joseph Eresu in their determination to perhaps reclaim all the community landed property situated at “Dustbin Area” of the expressway said to have allegedly been disposed off by their late Paramount Ruler, HRH Eze Ndubusi Nwanwa without their knowledge.
The vandalization which appears like an organized conspiracy was first reported at the Okporo road police station by the youths which allegedly gave their tacit support for the attack.
While some of the youths were persuading the victim to answer the invitation of the Divisional Police Officer (D.P.O) which Mr. Eresu obeyed, some other youths of the community strategically carried out the operation behind him.
Narrating his ordeal while conducting newsmen around what used to be his house, the Ogoni born octogenarian said the attackers did not only vandalized his properties but stole his two android phones and generators before tying up his four children at the stake threatening to kill all of them even as they were flogging them with matchets like common criminals.
Captain Eresu disclosed that despite the assurances of the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) to do something over the matter, no arrest has been made even as he continues appealing to the victim not to involve the soldiers.
Meanwhile, all the rains for the year has been soaking all the remaining property of the victim and his family members.
Mr. Eresu said he also produced the documents he was given when he bought the property from the community since 1986 he retired from the Nigerian Army with his severance benefit but they refused to acknowledged it. When he complained to the successor of the community’s Paramount Ruler, HRH Eze Bob Nwanwa, he too sympathized with him and promised to look into the matter since one month ago but failed.
Every attempt by this reporter to get the reaction of the youth body also failed as at the time of filling the report.
However, when contacted on phone, the DCO of the Police Station confirmed the matter being incidented with them, but furious his handset number was given out.
When the reporter contacted the community Paramount Ruler, he too acknowledged the attack but denied that his youths were involved.
When contacted on phone for the police official reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Grace Iringe Koko promised to verify the matter and get back to us.
After a long while, she called back to say that the DPO of the station confirmed the matter having been incidented at the Okporo Police Station but that their investigation is yet to bear fruit since then, adding that perhaps the victim may need to report back to the station with additional clue to help them make a headway.
