Arsonists Destroy Judge’s House In Etche

Rampaging youths from Mbakiri village, Akwu-Obuor in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, have allegedly vandalised buildings said to belong to a chairman of customary court, Oyigbo Local Government Area, Mr Jude Chimedu Onyeche at the weekend.
A source said, the arsonists numbering  about 50 persons allegedly  stormed the compound of Mr Onyeche at about 9pm last Saturday night at Akwuobua and destroyed three buildings said to belong to him, his father as well as a  family house.
According to the source, the rampaging youths from Mbakiri, a neighbouring village stormed the house of the legal officer in Akwu Obuor town.
The source said, the youths were armed with sophisticated weapons, cutlasses,  and other  sharp objects and were chanting war songs as they invaded the compound on that day.
“We tried to know what was their reasons of destroying the houses, we did not get answers from any of them,” the source added.
A family member of Mr Jude Chinedu Onyeche,  who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that the vandals were hired from other communities to come and cause mayhem  in their compound and added that efforts made to stop them were resisted.
He further alleged that, the group set the buildings on fire  after vandalising all the properties belonging to them.
Speaking in an interview with The Tide, Barrister Jude Chinedu Onyeche expressed shock over the level of damage and added that,  he could not fathom the reason for destroying his building.
According to him, since the incident occurred, he had been calling to know the sins he committed that should have warranted such treatment.
“I received a call when l returned from church  that my houses in the village had been destroyed by Mbakiri people and other boys they hired. They looted all my properties and personal effects, set my buildings on fire. It was the intervention of my friends who rushed to the scene that helped stop the fire in one of the buildings”.
“I have no quarrel with anybody in the village, since then, I have been calling the people, what wrong have I committed, but with no answer. I am not at war with anybody, but I now know the people.
The chairman of Oyigbo Customary Court disclosed that properties lost to the mob action was valued at N15 million and added that Okehi Divisional police have restored normaly in the area.
“I am yet to contact a quantity surveyor but properties destroyed by these people are valued at N15 million. The APO, Okehi Police Division and his officers have taken control in the area, everywhere is calm”.
He however, used the opportunity to call on the state government and  security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of the inhuman act are brought to book in order to face justice.
Effort made by our correspondent to speak to the Chief of Mbakiri village proved abortive as the village had  been deserted for fear of arrest by policemen who had been deployed to the area.
When contacted  on phone, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in the state, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, said he was yet to receive full details on the matter.