Abia State Police Command has commenced investigation into the June 23 violent disruption of a free medical programme at the Okaiuga Nkwoegwu Autonomous Community (ONAC) civic centre, which led to the death of a female patient.

Also, a medical equipment (an electronic device) worth N1.5 million and cash belonging to Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) officials, organisers of the programme, were said to have been stolen by the irate youths. The youths destroyed canopies and torched several buildings. The free medical programme, targeted at the rural poor, was to run from June 20- 26.

Leaders of ONAC, who refuted claims by the traditional ruler of Umuosu Autonomous Community, Eze Nzenwata Mbakwe that ONAC youths were responsible for the violence, alleged that youths from Umuosu, a neighbouring community, disrupted the programme on its third day.

They said the youths beat up doctors, NDDC officials and chased away thousands of people who had come for treatment from across Abia and other states.

According to them, the woman who died hails from Ofeme, an Ohuhu sub-clan. A Special Adviser to the ONAC traditional ruler, Dr. Chijioke Odimuko, said doctors had already opened her tummy when the violence began and they were forced to abandon their patient and flee for their lives, even as the woman had to run with her intestine gushing out. She reportedly died two days later.

Odimuko said available evidence point to the fact that the attack by Umuosu youths was premeditated.

 He said Umuosu is half of a village of the eight villages in ONAC, and since it has been accorded autonomous status, it should hands off facilities belonging to ONAC.

President-General of ONAC Welfare Union, Chief Emma Azubuine, accused the traditional ruler of Umuosu, Eze Nzenwata Mbakwe of fomenting the trouble because he was denied the honour of flagging of the programme..

Azubuine said Eze Mbakwe, who arrived the venue few minutes to the 12 noon period for the flagging-off ceremony on June 23, had told the NDDC officials that he was the authentic paramount ruler of the area and that they should deal with him only.

The ONAC President-General, who said his house was vandalised by Umuosu youths, who stole the sum of N800, 000 and a laptop belonging to his son from the building, added the civic centre venue of the programme belonged to the ONAC, where Umuosu had no jurisdiction.

He said NDDC did write to their traditional ruler, Eze Philip Owoghiri, whom they had asked to make adequate security arrangements, and come to flag-off the programme officially.

ONAC Youth President, Chukwemeka Aguocha, an Engineer, who gave graphic details of how the trouble started, having been piloting the effective crowd control put in place by ONAC youths, denied that Eze Mbakwe was pushed down at the civic centre as the monarch had claimed in a Press Briefing shortly after the incident.

 He said the Eze was duly recognised but told by NDDC officials that he could not go into the civic centre with the crowd that came with him because it was which was being used as consulting rooms by doctors.

Aguocha said that about 50 Umuosu youths armed with dangerous weapons invaded the civic centre and destroyed everything that was in sight and even slapped NNDC doctors with matches less than five minutes after their monarch was taken into the civic centre.

Eze Owoghiri, whose convoy was attacked by the youths on his way to the venue, said the incident shocked him as he has always stood for peace.

 He said he reported the matter to the Police after escaping from the mob.” If not for my tolerance, there would have been great bloodshed. I am praying that God will help us to have peace,” he said.

A senior police officer told The Tide that investigations into the violence has commenced.