In apparent bid to avoid casualties arising from skirmishes over struggle for who calls the shot in the Local Government Areas of Imo state, elected Chairmen and Councilors under the umbrella of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON has appealed to the Nigeria Police, Imo Command over the breach of agreement reached at the Commissioner of Police office on Monday March, 18.
For skirmishes recorded at the various councils on that Monday when newly appointed Sole Administrators appointed by the Okorocha government came to take over, the State Police Command intervened and assembled ALGON leadership with some SOLADs for a meeting where it was agreed that all the parties should keep away from the council secretariat pending the decision to be reached by next meeting after CP’s consultation with the state government.
However, contrary to the agreement, some SOLADs forcefully gained entry into the council with hired thugs and cult gangs to the charging of the elected Chairmen who had kept off the councils to avoid fracas. Even as police is yet to summon the parties for final determination on the matter, it was learnt that the SOLADs moved into the councils during odd periods when workers had closed for work.
When contacted on phone, ALGON leadership through Enyinnaya Onuegbu, (State Secretary) decried the attitude of police adding that it is unfair to allow the SOLADs break into the council when the meeting with police has not been held.
Onuegbu reported that the Owerri Municipal SOLAD who was reprimanded for storming the council with thugs during the meeting with CP again went into the council in the midnight to gain possession. Same applies to other councils where not less than ten SOLADs found their way in.
ALGON therefore appealed to the police to restrain the SOLADs to eschew violence adding that their acts not only contravene police directives but also against the decisions of the court stopping the state Governor from appointing any of his privies to take charge in any form.
According to Onugbu” it is a lawless act and a breach of accord reached at the CP’S office. We have tried to reach the CP on phone on the matter but he is not picking his calls. We even sent a text no response. We want to alert him to the fact that he is yet to invite us for the agreed meeting before the SOLADs broke in the midnight with thugs and cult boys armed with dangerous weapon”.
Efforts to reach the CP proved futile as his phone number rang several times without response. As at time of going to press his reaction on the matter could not be ascertained.
