Leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-
political body of the Igbos, narrowly escaped death
on Friday when a trigger happy policeman opened
fire at the National Secretariat of the organisation in
Enugu.
political body of the Igbos, narrowly escaped death
on Friday when a trigger happy policeman opened
fire at the National Secretariat of the organisation in
Enugu.
Our correspondent learnt that the incident was
caused by leadership tussle between rival factions
of the Ohanaeze Youth Council.
The President General of the organisation, Chief
Gary Igariwey and other Ohanaeze leaders, including
the National Secretary, Dr Joe Nwaorgu, were at the
secretariat for a National Executive Committee
meeting of the body when the incident occurred.
Leaders of the youth wing were also at the meeting.
However, trouble started when the National Publicity
Secretary of the youth wing, Obinna Adibe, who
belonged to the Arthur Okafor faction, came with
some plain clothes policemen from the Enugu Area
Command to arrest one of the youth leaders, Alex
Okemiri.
Adibe had, in a petition to the Enugu Area
Command, accused Okemiri, who belonged to the
faction of the National President, Mazi Ikechukwu
Isiguzoro, of impersonating him in text messages
he circulated to summon a meeting.
As the policemen were dragging Okemiri into a
waiting vehicle, some officials of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
moved to intervene.
Plea by the Ohanaeze officials fell on deaf ears, as
the policemen insisted on taking Okemiri away.
But the matter took a sinister turn when a
policeman attached to one of the Ohanaeze officials
shut at the gates of the secretariat, raised his rifle
and fired into the air.
The sound of the gunshot sent the Ohanaeze
leaders scampering for safety.
Afterwards, Igariwey moved to broker peace
between the warring factions of the youth wing.
The policemen eventually left without Okemiri, after
Igariwey pleaded with Adibe to allow the Ohanaeze
leadership to resolve the crisis.
However, it was gathered that the policeman that
released the bullet was reprimanded.
The meeting, which was ongoing as of the time of
filing this report, was expected to deliberate on the
report of a panel set up by the Ohanaeze leadership
to resolve the crisis in the youth wing of the
organisation.
Earlier, before the commencement of the meeting,
members of the Okafor faction had attempted to
stop the National President of the Ohanaeze Youth
Council, Mazi Isiguzoro, from entering the venue.
When contacted, the spokesman, Enugu State
Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said the
incident was yet to be reported.
He promised to get back to our correspondent.
