6th May, 2019
Mr Raphael Nnabuife, the Chairman, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra on Sunday warned community leaders in the area to shun acts that could cause a breach of the peace in the state.
Nnabuife, who gave the warning while addressing journalists on Sunday in Ogidi, said it was an affront for some leaders in Nkpor community to protest against state government’s actions.
He said: “For some elders of Nkpor to protest last Thursday on a position government took in the best interest of the area, considering security factors should be condemned.
“The action is even more regrettable due to the embellishment of the real story with falsehood, while such action has obvious consequences on the security and development of the area.”
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that more than 100 red cap chiefs from Nkpor protested at the Government House, Awka.
They were said to have appealed to Gov. Willie Obiano to caution the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Greg Obi, and the council chairman over their interference in Nkpor community leadership.
Nnabuife said that the elders ignored his office as the chief security officer of the local government area but took their protest to Awka.
He alleged that those who sponsored the protest made the elders to present false information on Nkpor Caretaker Committee leadership.
“Nkpor Caretaker Committee was not dissolved but amended by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, being the ministry in charge of community affairs.
“The amendment, which affected only three of the 10 members of the existing committee, relied on the culpability of the trio on a petition against them,” Nnabuife said.
He further said that the state government was mindful of the fact that Nkpor, a community near Onitsha, was strategic and considered issues capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in the area.
The council chairman, who cited the relevant section of the Constitution of Nkpor Development Union on the election of officers for the Central Executive Committee, said that election would hold in the last week of December, 2019.