Police plotting with opponents to dethrone me, says Igwe Nwankwo
The traditional ruler of Nawfia Community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, has accused the Anambra State Police Command of plotting with his enemies in the community to dethrone him through the Abagana Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr Daniel Nnamoko Uke, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).
Speaking to newsmen in his palace in Nawfia the traditional ruler called for a full-scale panel of inquiry into the ongoing crisis in the town, so that he will expose all the people including the Police who have been working to remove him as the traditional ruler of the community.
He said: “Some people are after me. It is shear jealousy. That is the way they killed my father but they can’t kill me. They will fail. They wanted to use me but I refused. I am stronger now than before”.
Igwe Nwankwo alleged that DPO of Abagana was given money by his opponents to dethrone him and that is why he prefers carrying their directives instead of my own who is the monarch of the town.
But the DPO denied ever receiving money from any group in Nawfia to work against the traditional ruler or plotting with anybody to dethrone Igwe Nwankwo, insisting that his duty was to ensure peace and order in the entire Local Government Area including Nawfia.
Trouble started when the President general of the community allegedly said to be working in concert with some people organized Nawfia Day that will last for about seven days during the Christmas and New year festivities without the approval of the traditional ruler.
Igwe Nwankwo said by organizing Nawfia day without his approval, even where there was masquerade display the organizers had obviously hijacked his functions as the custodian of Nawfia culture and tradition.
He said they merely informed him of a programme that ought to have emanated from his palace, which he directed should not hold and told the DPO not to allow it hold but they defied his order and went ahead to hold the programme as well as allowed masquerades to come out without his consent or approval, alleging that the “defacto president general” which he is challenging his election in the court was building a new town hall in his community without his knowledge and approval.
He also alleged that in the programme of the “so called Nawfia Day”, his picture and name were conspicuously missing in their brochure, which was a clear indication that there was a plot to dethrone him with the DPO providing support.
Said Igwe Nwankwo: “Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world. My problem with the Police is that I don’t give them money. When I call the Police, they don’t act, if the other group calls them they will act. They are using intimidation. You can’t take my function and invite me to take part. I want full-scale investigation. I will expose all these people and even the Police. They come to Igbo land to make money”.
But the DPO said he met with traditional ruler in his palace with some of his officers to brief him that his people were organizing a programme and that they had been granted permit, pleading with him to ensure peace and order in the community, but the Igwe told him to go and stop the event, which was not possible.
He said that the organizers told him that they informed the traditional ruler of the event and nobody was contesting the Igweship of Nawfia with him.
Uke said that he told the traditional ruler that he will arrest anybody who caused breach of the peace in the community during the celebration, saying that the problem with Igwe Nwankwo was that his people alleged that he was “autocratic and high-handed”.
He said in spite of his appeal to him, the traditional ruler went ahead and tore the banner for the event, in which a petition has been lodged against him in the Division, vowing that he would invite him for questioning after the festivity, an action Igwe Nwankwo dismissed because he said the DPO has no such power in law to invite or arrest him.
The DPO denied ever receiving money from any of the groups, describing the allegation as an attempt to blackmail him and the entire Police as an institution.
