By Peter Uzoma.
It would have been sad tales for Pensioners in Imo State as five of them narrowly escaped death at the office of the Account-General (AG) office.
The pensioners who are been owed for months had stormed the office for inquries.
But moments after they reached the office, a Civil Defence Operative unlocked the trigger of his riffle and pointed it at them insisting they would not see the AG to discuss their pension matters.
The five pensioners who would have been victims of a trigger happy Civil Defence operative who were acting under the auspices of Pensioners Intervention Committee(PIC) included Comrades Iyke Ohaneje(Chairman), MC Amaechi(Secretary), PLO Chiagoro, CC Obi and Dan Ejiofor(members).
Narrating their experience at the hands of the Civil Defence officer, the Secretary of Pensioners Intervention Committee, Comrade MC Amaechi said that on arrival at the AG’s office(five of them, pensioners) had disclosed their mission and were offered seats and assured they would see the AG but that was not to be.
Comrade Amaechi disclosed that voices went high after over three hours they were not allowed to go in whereas other visitors entered and left the AG’s office.
“When we ran out of patience and insisted on going in, the Civil Defense Officer pulled out his riffle and would have shot us but for the timely intervention of Mr Goddy Obieze, the Chief Of Staff to the AG”.
He said Mr Obieze then took them to his office where he calmed their nerves and promised to take up their matter with the AG, Val Obieze.
Mr Goddy Obieze later called on the Civil Defense Officer to apologize to the pensioners but he did not because according to him, he acted on the AG’s instructions. Mr Obieze assured the pensioners that before 22/6/2020 they would have received their alerts. As at the time of this report, pensioners in the state were yet to receive alerts for any month’s payment.
It would be recalled that following the inability of the NUP Imo State to make any meaningful moves concerning the pensioners’ plight, a group of Pensioners decided to fight their course under the umbrella of Pensioners Intervention Committee (PIC)
Trumpeta was told that PIC met on 16/6/2020 at IICC Owerri to discuss their welfare under the watchful eyes of the DSS and Police. The security Agents who had pity on the senior citizens promised to put words across in their favour too hoping that before 19/6/2020 something would have happened, but that was not to be.
Comrade Amaechi thanked all those who saved them from the hands of the trigger happy Civil Defense Officer who was ready to finish them and informed that the pensioners peaceful rally which was earlier scheduled for 2/6/2020 will now hold on 23/6/2020
Also reacting in a telephone interview, the PIC Chairman, Comrade Iyke Ohaneje commended the DSS/Police for their understanding while in his own reaction, another pensioner, Dr JOJ Ukonu condemned the unruly attitude of the Civil Defense officer who forgot that “a hungry man is an angry man”.
