NBA Ohafia Bar Centre

* As Eyewitness Narrates Part Of What Actually Transpired

Chairman of the Ohafia branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dave Okwun-Kalu, Esq., has condemned in the strongest terms the senseless clash involving the community youths and the Nigeria Police in Ohafia, Abia State.

The chairman made this known this in a press statement titled, “Extra-Judicial Killing And The Burning/Looting Of The Nba Ohafia Bar Centre & Abia State High Court Ohafia Judicial Division,” which is dated the 18th day of April, 2020. In the press statement, Mr. Dave Okwun-Kalu, Esq., called on the Government to take proactive measures to keep the peace and prevent further loss of life or destruction of property in Ohafia, stressing that, two wrongs cannot make a right.

“We are deeply disturbed by the increasing cases of reported extra judicial killings by security agents in Abia State especially this period when the lives of the greater part of the populace are being disrupted by the attendant effects of the raging covid-19 pandemic. The uncertainty and ostensive economic hardship related to the extensive lockdown in the State and across the Country put in place by various Governments, which is recognized world-wide as one of the effective protocols to limit the spread of the virus, has indeed not helped matters despite the laudable efforts of Government and a host of well-spirited individuals to dish out palliatives.

“We are more particularly disturbed by the events of the evening of 17th April, 2020 and the morning/afternoon of 18th April, 2020 at Ebem-Ohafia within the Ohafia Judicial Division, where one Friday Ifeanyi Arunsi, a promising youth was reported to have been shot in the gut by a policeman in yet to be substantiated circumstances. This preliminary report has it that Friday was rushed to a hospital where he gave up the ghost few hours later. We are further disturbed by the snowballing consequence of this apparent extra-judicial killing which was a showcase of sheer violence and banditry by exasperated youths who wrongly decided to take justice into their own hands by going on rampage.,” he said.

Speaking further, he said that this ill-conceived rampage put the entire Ohafia into chaos and amongst other things led to the burning down and wanton looting of the Abia State High Court Ohafia Division Complex, the Magistrates’ Court and the buildings housing the Police Area Command and Divisional Station — that police security vehicles were also set ablaze; the Nigerian Bar Association Ohafia Branch Bar Centre (the Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN Bar Centre) was not spared in the tumult.

“This ill-conceived rampage put the entire Ohafia into chaos and amongst other things led to the burning down and wanton looting of the Abia State High Court Ohafia Division Complex, the Magistrates’ Court and the buildings housing the Police Area Command and Divisional Station. Police security vehicles were also set ablaze. The Nigerian Bar Association Ohafia Branch Bar Centre (the Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN Bar Centre) was not spared in the tumult.

“It was partially torched; saved only by the commendable intervention of few Lawyers who took a stand. Unfortunately it was still looted, stripped bare (even the “burglary proofs” pulled out) and sensitive Bar materials carted away. The ripple effect of the destruction of these properties is better left imagined than experienced. Sadly we will bear the experience. While we share our heartfelt sympathy with the family of late Friday and others whose properties have been destroyed or stolen, we condemn in the strongest of terms the senseless clash involving the community youths and the Police. Two wrongs never make a right.

“We strongly demand that a thorough, prompt and transparent investigation be carried out forthwith and we implore all to keep calm and not escalate the situation as we all already have enough pain and hurt to contend with this period. Finally we call on Government to take proactive measures to keep the peace and prevent further loss of life or destruction of property in Ohafia,” he added.

An eyewitness who spoke to TheNigerialawyer (TNL) narrated what happened. According to him, the shooting of the boy did not happen today as reported by some persons. He noted that the boy was shot last night by a Police officer deliberately, but died in the morning today at Umuahia.

“When the corpse was brought back to Ohafia, it aroused the retaliating spirit of the youths. The whole of Police Station is burnt, High and magistrate courts and office with Ume Kalu Bar Center burnt after series of arguments between the Army and the youths.

“Police Patrol Vehicles were set ablaze on the process. The return of the corpse to the station after some hours stimulated the forceful release of inmates (whom we don’t know where they are at the time of filling this report) No government agency or functionary was seen at the scene.

“The youth Chairman, Ebem Ohafia, the PG NAOS, the Secretary of the Youths, Ohafia LGA were all present to calm the situation with the Commandant of 14th Brigade Barracks, after series of damages scored by aggrieved youths. When we were getting a yellow light for the situation, SARS men arrived the station after shooting another youth at Zenith Bank axis, but thanks to God that he is not dead. This gave the youths another opportunity to reinforce to the station in hundreds, having learnt that the person shot by SARS men is from a neighboring village, Elu.

“We confirmed at Mben hospitals that the man is still alive at the time of filling this report. The Abia state government has also issued a press release on that, calming the youths and also directing the TC Chairman to swing into action, meeting the family of the deceased and assuring that everything possible will be done to ensure that justice is served. The youths have been urged also to be calm as the government shall leave no stone unturned in unraveling the circumstances that led to this latest unfortunate incident,” he added.