The people of Obiaruku, through the Onotu Uku are asking the State and Federal Government for compensation following the unlawful entry, detention and killing of the people of the town in February, 2001.
According to the people of Obiaruku, who spoke through the Onotu Uku of Obiaruku, Chief Gabriel Ajede, who gave a graphic description of what happened on that very day, where 18 persons where unlawfully murdered by the agents of the state, feel that the demand for compensation is justified because why trying to protect lives and properties in the town, the state saw it as an aggression and wilfully murdered the sons and daughters of Obiaruku.
Speaking further, the chief who was in the company of Bar B.C Ijeomah said what happened was that the community was held hostage for more than four hours by thieves who invaded the only commercial bank in the town. A distress call was placed to the police who did not respond, the hoodlums escaped but not after they had killed a police man attached to the bank. The killing of the police officer fuelled the anger of the youths and people of the town who then matched to the police station along Umuebu road to protest the non response of the police to the distress call.
Chief Ajede continuing said the protest was not violent not until the then DPO ordered his men to shoot into the air to disperse the protesters. This was when the crowd became rowdy and violent leading to the burning of the police station. According to Chief Ajede, the next day the youths continued the protest against the police most especially the then police DPO. But this to the authourity was an act of war according to the police who drafted more men to handle the situation. The arrival of the extra troops was not to hold peace but the agenda was to kill and burn down buildings which they succeeded in doing.
According to the Onotu Uku, he said the people of Obiaruku have the right to ask for compensation. He said the court granted payment to the Odi people for the invasion of Odi, by the Nigerian Army which was a result of the killing of some police men who were sent to arrest some criminals hiding in Odi town. But in the case of Obiaruku they were trying to protect lives and properties in the town, and the state turned against them. This he said required that the state need to compensate the people of the town who were affected.
They, concluding said that at that time the senate and members of the house of assembly came, a panel was set up, but till date the result of that panel was neither known nor implemented. The reconstruction of some of the houses then was due to self-efforts and assistant from one of their own, Mrs Esther Uduehi. He called the silent stand of the government as an act of marginalisation.
Contacted, the member representing Ukwuani at the State House of Assembly, Hon (Dr) Alphonsus Ojo, says there is nothing he can say, as the case is a closed one. Same contact was made to Hon Ossai N. Ossai, the member representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, but the duo did not respond. But the people of Obiaruku had vowed not to be intimidated by the actions of the reps and those that will want to dissuade them from pursuing a genuine case.
