Youths of Mgbakwu community in Awka North Council Area of Anambra State, on Friday, made attempts to invade the Light House, Awka, the state government’s seat of power, in protest over the alleged killing of a 23-year-old man, Chinyeaka Ike, by operatives of the Special Anti-touting Squad of Anambra, SASA.
The protesting youths bore the corpse of the slain youth, simply identified as ‘Akidi’ to the government house, chanting protest songs and demanding government attention.They were, however, stopped by security operatives at the Alex Ekwueme Square Gate, by police operatives stationed along the Emeka Anyaoku Boulevard, leading to the Light House, Awka.
It was gathered that the deceased was killed at about 10 pm Thursday night in Mgbakwu, during a raid on the community by operatives of SASA.
Our correspondent who was at the community, reports that immediately the news circulated, youths of the community trooped out in their numbers in protest, burning tyres on the tarred road and destroying wares on the road.
By Friday morning, they had blocked the major entrance into the community, preventing vehicular movement in and out of the community, crippling economic activities too.
Some of the aggrieved youths, who spoke to our correspondent, directed their frustration at the Anambra State Government, calling on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently intervene.
They accused security operatives of repeated misconduct, saying that this was the second time security men had killed innocent people in the community.
The protesters regretted the incessant invasion of the community by all kinds of security outfits in the name of enforcement, calling on the Governor to wade into the matter.
Sources within the SASA team that came for the operation, which the TNC investigation captured, revealed that the raid was in continuation of their efforts to rid the community of hard drugs.
The source revealed that when the team arrived in the community, the youths began to attack them, prompting them to respond, resulting in injury to the deceased.
The source also revealed that a SASA operative was also injured during the encounter and is currently recuperating at the hospital.
TNC correspondent reached the President-General of the Community, Chief Nwokeoma, who confirmed the incident, but pleaded to be allowed some time to be able to address the rampaging youths, so that more damage would not be done.
Several calls, text and Whatsapp messages and voice notes sent to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Homeland Security, Chief Ken Emeakayi, and the Managing Director of SASA, Mr Nwokoye, to get updates on the development and what happened, proved abortive as at the time of filing this report, as they never responded.
