The leadership of Ngwogwo Community Development Union, NCDU and the elders of the community have accused the Ivo Local Government Area, Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Ajah of masterminding the crisis rocking the community.

In a Statement signed by the, Secretary, Ngwogwo Community Development Union, NCDU, Mr. Makwe Benjamin and Mr. Olu Denis
Chairman Ngwogwo Elders Forum accused the council Chairman of abandoning his official duty to instigate crisis in the community for his selfish agenda.

The duo noted that the once peaceful community has been thrown into a crisis area adding that the community will not continue to fold it’s hands and allow outsiders truncate the peace, unity and harmony in the community.

“It is unfortunate and regrettable that the Council Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Ajah has gotten engaged with the contract of coming to cause crisis in Ngwogwo community by attempting to truncate the peaceful Leadership of Ngwogwo community just as he did in other Communities like Amonye, Amokwe, Ameze etc.

“Ndi Ngwogwo have met and applied a special section of NCDU constitution which says that, the Community has the right to revoke any land bought by an outsider that is causing problem in the community and convert it to communal land”.

“The real owners of the land have been adequately informed and their signatures of approval is already with us. The motion will come up in court on 16th of February for the fulfilment of the law and Ndi Ngwogwo have slated 25th of February 2024 for all sons and daughters of Ngwogwo community will massively move to the farm land and generally farm on it.

“Chief Ajah Emmanuel has been sponsoring problems in other villages in Ishiagu and has sponsored armed bandits who came and shoot many people which I am one of the victims and am still nursing the gunshot injuries.

He expressed the regret that the council Chairman has been using his office to give his criminal gang protection and have stopped their arrest and prosection by the law enforcement agents.

“While we maintain that anybody who is interested in causing problem in our community does not deserve to own a property in our community.

On his part, Mr. Olu Denis on behalf of the Elders of Ngwogwo Community and the Seven-Man-Committee under the auspices of Essalawu expressed concern over the alleged sponsorship of crisis in the community

In a meeting on Wednesday 8th February 2024 at the Elumkpume Amedim Ngwogwo, the elders also accused one Olu Earnest Ndukwe (YARADUA) among others as the key sponsors of all the mayhem that have recently happened in Ngwogwo Community.

“Olu Earnest Ndukwe is the leader of the Ozuwo group. The group that shot Makwe Benjamin, the Secretary of NCDU on the leg which according to medical report, has done damage to his leg. The likes of Ukairo and others are still nursing their gunshot injuries sustained from the shooting by the criminal gang.

The elders also accused the police of giving protection to the deadly group recruited by the Council Chairman who move around freely with guns and other dangerous weapons and called on the Inspector General of Police to urgently direct for the immediate disarming of the group.

The group called on the State Governor, Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru to urgently call the Council Chairman to order adding that his actions are capable of creating serious bloodletting and destruction of properties in the community if nothing it’s done.

“We call on the State Governor to call Chief Emmanuel Ajah to order. His action especially since the Governor visited the local government for campaign and passed a vote of no confidence on him, he is out to unleash mayhem on his supposed detractors.

“It is clear that the State Governor spoke his mind on the poor performance of the Council Chairman, so we urge Chief Ajah to accept in good faith the statement of the Governor and improve on his poor performance instead of accusing stakeholders of the local government of blackmailing him before the Governor.

When contacted, the Council Chairman declined comment on the allegation and maintained that he would not want to join issues with his detractors.

But in a post made by his media assistant, Mr. James Ejem maintained that few individuals in the local government are envious of the laudable achievements of the Council Boss adding that his achievements will guarantee his second term in office.