*60 Youths Missing In Anambra Community, Catholic Priest Fingered*

Indigenes of Uruebo village in
Nkwelle Ezunaka community of Oyi
Local Government Area of Anambra
State have lamented that over 60 of
their youths have remained missing
for months after crisis emanating
from ownership of a landed property
hit the village.
An 89-year-old community leader,
Chief Abel Okafor, who was part of
the villagers who came out to protest
at the village square on Sunday, said
three of his sons were also among
those missing.
Okafor who addressed journalists
during the protest said besides the
over 60 missing young men from the
village, 11 others have been
languishing in prison for about six
months now, after they were arrested
by security agents on the order of a
Catholic priest, Reverend Father
Emmanuel Obimma, who is popularly
known as Ebube Muonso, who is also
an indigene of the area.
Okafor said, “Ebube Muonso brought
a combined team of security men to
our community, and told them to
arrest all the youths in the village.
He said youths of the village were
planning to kidnap him.
“11 young men were arrested for
over six months now, and have been
languishing in prison. Youths of this
community have all fled to unknown
destinations, and since then, we have
been looking for our children,
including three of my sons,” he said.
Speaking on the genesis of the crisis,
another community leader, Chief
Augustine Okadigbo, said Charles
Obimma, elder brother to Emmanuel
Obimma was elected leader of the
village six years ago, and after two
mandatory tenures, he refused to
handover.
“We suspect he want to cling to
power because he has been using
his influence as the leader of the
village to sell off landed properties
owned communally.
“As we are here protesting,
bulldozers are on the land, clearing
it. We have said no to this, and the
only thing his brother (Emmanuel
Obimma) could do was to bring in a
combined team of security men,
including military men to arrest our
youths for kidnapping.

“We know he is rich, and we know he
is a powerful priest, but he should
not use his influence to intimidate
his own people. We are calling on
the state governor to Wade into the
matter and free us from this
bondage.
“We are not begging him not to do
his worse, because he has done so
already, but let him stop thwarting
the cause of Justice, as the matter is
already in court,” they lamented.
When contacted for reaction, Rev Fr
Obimma said he was not willing to
react, but urged that the report be
publishes as it is to his advantage.
“It is to my advantage. Army and
police report are ready, already. So,
those elders will join in the court
charges for false information. I
cannot be intimidated. I had wanted
to release them (suspects), based on
people’s plea, but as you can see
they are not remorseful. Let’s see
how it will end. let them prepare for
court.”
Some of the placards wielded by the
protesting villagers read; “We want
justice for the youths that were
wrongly accused, Ebube muonso
stop persecuting the people of your
land, we are tired of Ebube Muonso
and his intimidation”, among others.

https://dailypost.ng/2020/10/18/60-youths-missing-in-anambra-community-over-land-dispute-crisis-ebube-muonso-fingered/