ORAIFITE THIS WEEK

Governor Peter Obi has intensified the fight for flushing out criminals with the demolition of the two buildings at Ifite, Oraifite belonging to suspected kidnap kingpin, Olisagbo Ifedike alias Ofe Akwu based in Ghana who was recently arrested by the police with a member of the gang. The buildings were one storey building with a pent house and a bungalow.

The demolition followed the arrest of the suspects and the discovery of sophisticated arms and ammunition in a plastic cover concealed underground behind the bungalow, including 27 AK 47 rifles, 12800 live ammunitions,143 fully loaded magazines, rocket launchers, General Purpose machine gun and grenades, among others.

Apart from the underground structure, there is also an extended building with toilet facilities behind the bungalow suspected to be cell where kidnapped victims were hidden. In a small building attached to the gate wall, there was a shrine allegedly used by the father of the suspect, Mr. Patrick Ifedike alias Ogbujingidi who was said to be a native doctor to help and fortify his son and his circle of doom.

The buildings before their demolition were obviously attacked by suspected angry mobs who burnt parts of the building, smashed the windows, doors and furniture.

Governor Obi who personally supervised the demolition exercise, accompanied by some members of the State Executive Council, said the action was in line with the law of the State that any property linked to kidnap and other criminal activities will be confiscated and demolished by the state government.

He explained that the efforts are geared towards eradicating crime and flushing out hoodlums from the State. The Governor said due process of the law had been initiated to prosecute the suspect while government was going after all his investments in the country as no kidnapper or criminal would be allowed to enjoy the proceeds of his illegal activities.

He disclosed that hotels belonging to the suspect have already been sealed off while Abia State Government will be contacted to seal off his hotel in Umuahia with machinery in motion to arrest others involved in the crime.

Governor Obi warned other criminals still lurking in any part of the State that the game was up as government will not stop until the set objective was achieved.

The Governor reminded traditional rulers and Town Union executives of their responsibility to ensure that their communities were not used as hiding place for criminals. He urged youths to take advantage of the various economic empowerment programmes of the State government to earn decent living.

The Police public relation officer, Mr. Raphael Uzoigwe said they were able to arrest the suspect because of information gathered through their intelligence network.

Mr. Uzoigwe alleged that the suspect was responsible for the various attacks and killings in the State in recent time.

The President General, Oraifite Improvement Union, Sir. Raphael Nwike who described Governor Obi's action as a divine intervention, lamented that the area has been held captive for a long time by activities of criminal elements.

Some of the villagers who spoke to the press Mr. Okeke Okafor, Mr. Mike Nchedo, Mrs. Elizabeth Iwobi and Mr. Godwin Anyalechi who is based in Kano, commended the courage and political will of Governor Obi in frontally tackling security challenges in the State.

Later, while inspecting the ammunition recovered from the armed robbers, who confessed to be behind series of kidnapping in the State, including Younger brother to Chief Arthur Eze, the Igwe of Ukpo, chief Robert Eze, the State Commissioner of Police, Bala Nasarrawa said that the ammunition recovered from them were those of police men they killed and police stations they sacked.

Mazi Odera
Brandishing truth ,like a lethal weapon.
Truth is our standard