Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has been urged to urgently investigate an alleged gross corruption presently being perpetrated in the State Ministry of Justice by government officials.
A human rights activist, Mr Bonaventure Ezekwenna made the call while briefing Journalists in Awka, over a case of alleged harassment, intimidation, forced takeover of his landed property and a deadly threat to his life by a suspected land-grabber at Nnobi community in Idemili South Local Government Area of the State.
Ezekwenna is alleging that the suspect and other gangsters threatening his life and terrorizing the State at large, were being aided and abetted by prosecutors at the State Ministry of Justice.
He also alleged that the government officials at the ministry demanded a huge sum of money from him, ranging from N150,000 to N1million, to diligently prosecute the case.
According to him, “My problem started after about 40 years of sojourn in United States of America, when I decided to invest in my hometown, Nnobi on September 2, 2021, where I bought an uncompleted property for ten million naira.
“I paid with a bank draft according to the law of Nigeria, and I killed a goat on the land according to Nnobi and Igbo customs and traditions. As I began to develop the property, a land-grabber stormed and attacked the place, threatening violence. He stated that he bought the property a year before me for N20m.
“He demanded N20m from me to continue development. He demolished my property and stole my building materials. He also stated he is a native doctor and runs several deadly shrines in Nnobi town and other places. He told me that the Police from the local station, the State Police headquarters and the IGP’s office were in his pocket.
“I made inquiry as to who the fellow was and found out that I have stumbled upon hardcore heinous criminal syndicates, kidnapping, assassinating, and robbing people, as well as burning Police station, in Anambra State.
“Even the leadership of the Nnobi town is so scared of these gangsters and their syndicates because of their connections to very rich people in the society and law enforcement agencies, judiciary officials, and persecutors.
“The information on the atrocities of these syndicates is an open secret. Dead bodies and dismembered dead bodies are appearing on the roadside and bushes at Nnobi and surrounding towns, especially at Obi-Aja stream, which is about 15/20 minutes walk from Nnobi Police station and less than 3 3-minute drive to Ojoto, the headquarters of Idemili South Local Government Area,” he alleged.
While describing the situation as worrisome, Ezekwenna urged Governor Soludo to order an urgent and Independent review of the handling of these cases by the State Attorney General’s office.
However, when The News Chronicle correspondent contacted the State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Prof Silvia Ifemeje, on the development via telephone, she urged Ezekwenna to direct his complaint to the governor, who is her employer.
She revealed that she had warned the complainant several times not to give money to any prosecutor in the Ministry over the matter.
