….as ₦500m Property Allegedly Destroyed

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

A lingering land ownership dispute involving the Ekwerekwu family of Okposieke, Onitsha, and the management of Onitsha Sports Club in Anambra State has reportedly turned violent, leaving two staff members hospitalized and properties estimated at ₦500 million allegedly destroyed or looted.

The incident reportedly occurred when about 40 youths stormed the club premises, assaulted staff members and carted away valuables in an escalation of the dispute over ownership of the property.

The club’s management alleged that two staff members sustained critical injuries and were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, while five others reportedly suffered varying degrees of injuries.

Speaking with journalists, the club’s Secretary, Tochukwu Chidobelu, who was accompanied by its President, Titus Adirika, alleged that police officers attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from Abuja accompanied the youths to the premises.

Chidobelu claimed that the officers deployed tear gas to disperse club staff members who had gathered to prevent the alleged invasion, after which the youths allegedly damaged and looted property within the facility.

According to him, the club had obtained a court order restraining the alleged invaders from encroaching on the disputed property.

“We have gotten a court order restraining the invaders from encroaching on the club. The invaders stormed the club with IRT police from Abuja. The police tear-gassed the staff to chase them away, and the invaders destroyed and looted properties estimated at ₦500 million,” he alleged.

The club secretary listed some of the items allegedly destroyed or carted away to include television sets, solar lights, chairs, ceiling fans, cartons of beer, alcoholic beverages and other valuables.

He further alleged that the club’s wine bar was looted, with drinks reportedly worth more than ₦100,000 taken away. A vehicle was also said to have been vandalized during the incident.

Describing the development as unfortunate, Chidobelu said the sports club had traditionally served as a recreational and sporting centre where prominent individuals gathered to relax, socialize and participate in sporting activities.

He condemned the alleged invasion as an act of hooliganism, questioning the conduct of those involved in the dispute and stressing the need for parties to respect the rule of law.

“The leader of the invaders is a lawyer who is supposed to know the law,” he said.

Chidobelu also alleged that the club’s management had made efforts to seek police intervention before the incident escalated, adding that representatives of the club visited the Central Police Station (CPS) and the Onitsha Police Area Command until about 10 p.m. without securing the assistance they sought.

He claimed that the police told the club’s representatives that the opposing party had asserted that it possessed a court order authorizing entry onto the property, but that the order was not presented during the reported incident.

Also recounting his experience, the club’s storekeeper and gardener, Daniel Oloche, alleged that the police used tear gas to disperse the staff before the youths proceeded to remove and damage items within the premises.

“They used police to tear-gas and chase us away. They made away with mattresses, television sets, gas cookers, plates and damaged so many items,” Oloche said.

When contacted for comments, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not aware of the incident at the time of the inquiry.

Ikenga, however, promised to get back to the correspondent with further information.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had not confirmed the incident or provided an independent account of the allegations, while the position of the Ekwerekwu family and other parties to the land dispute was not immediately available.