Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Police in Ebonyi State on Saturday attacked the people of Ihie Autonomous Community, Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The team of policemen had stormed the community and disrupted its new yam festival causing pandemonium in the area.
Millions of naira worth of properties were also destroyed in the road attack.
It was learned that the community was already agog for the celebration with canopies mounted and other arrangements concluded waiting for the commencement of the event when armed policemen stormed the area with five branded hilux vans.
The policemen, on sighting journalists warned them not to take any pictures in the community and ordered them out of the area.
Immediately the journalists left the area to a neighbouring community, the policemen started firing teargas and destroyed many items put in place for the celebration.
Some of the items destroyed include sound systems, plastic chairs, canopies, tables, electricity generating sets and other items.
The policemen allegedly took away canon guns the people had already mounted for the celebration.
Women who were preparing food for the new yam festival and a a sick young lady, Peculiar Ajah, who was receiving treatment inside her room, was also tear gassed.
Ajah said: “I was on drip on my bed inside our room when the policemen were shooting the teargas. They shot the teargas directly to our house and I started losing breath untill I was smuggled out of the house,” she stated.
Members of the community accused a monarch from the area of importing the policemen to disrupt the festival.
They described the attack as a desecration of the community.
A 77-year-old man in the community, Leonard Ekeh, described the incident as desecration of the culture of the community and called on the state Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter.
He said: “I am not happy with what the policemen did in my community. How can you come into our community and disrupt our culture?
“We have never witnessed this type of thing in our community and I call the Commissioner of Police to investigate what those policemen did.
“I was not around when the policemen were firing the teargas. I would have asked them to fire me, I am ready to die, I am ready to die for my people. At 77 years, I can’t fear anybody.”
President General of the community, Ume Cletus, said every 29th September is designed for new yam festival by the community and wondered why the festival was disrupted.
He alleged that a Monarch from the area has been igniting crisis in the community including incessant arrest of some members of the community which forced them to pass vote of no confidence on him.
Police spokesperson in the state, Joshua Ukandu, denied knowledge of the incident.
He promised to enquire from Ivo police division on what transpired.
