A group of eminent indigenes of Awka, Anambra state capital city, under the aegis of the Awka Progressives Forum (APF), has advised the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Service (DSS) high commands to carry out diligent investigations concerning the sudden disappearance of the Vice-chairman of Durbai Estate, Awka, Mr Ben Ezenma, popularly known as “Big Ben.”
The forum said a diligent investigation by the security agencies would help avoid a miscarriage of justice.
The group, made up of professionals and other patriots of the town, said their call became imperative given “ bunsigned Facebook posts” making viral where one of their illustrious sons, a philanthropist and security expert, Ozo Jeff Nweke, is being disparaged over Big Ben’s alleged kidnap.
In a statement signed by the forum’s chairman and secretary, Mr Ken Igwedimma and Chinwuko Ibeabuchi, respectively, obtained by LEADERSHIP, the Awka patriots expressed worries that a plot to tarnishing Ozo Nweke’s integrity and making him culpable of Big Ben’s alleged kidnap was underway.
Sources told LEADERSHIP that Big Ben went missing on November 12, 2024, after visiting Ozo Nweke at his Mango and Lion Properties building in Awka.
He was said to have not been seen since that fateful day.
The DSS is said to have filed a suit in an Awka High Court of Anambra state wherein some persons, including Ozo Nweke, were listed as defendants in connection with the Dubai Estate vice-chairman’s alleged kidnap.
The Awka Patriots, however, said they viewed the unsigned Facebook posts and their remarks, even when the trial on the matter had not begun in the Court, as a deliberate ploy to “denigrate and portray him (Ozo Jeff Nweke) in a bad light in the eyes of undiscerning members of the public.”
The group advised the security agencies to direct their investigation to Big Ben’s close associates, recalling that his wife had, in a statement she made to the DSS in Awka on November 13, 2024(a day after his sudden disappearance), hinted that Big Ben called her on the phone at about 6:25pm on that fateful November 12, 2024, from Maxbe hotel, Awka, and said he was going to honour a meeting with “one Loco.”
Arguing further that a plot was probably being hatched to rope Ozo Nweke as a culprit in Big Ben’s travail, the APF stated, “ Our investigations after reading the unsigned Facebook post showed that every piece of the write-up therein was doubtful and out of tune with the character of Ozo Jeff Nweke who we have known as a philanthropist, fighter for the oppressed and less privileged members whose drive is to see to the development of Ezinano community and Awka in general with his hard-earned resources.
“We recall that in December 2024, Ozo Nweke, a private security expert, had pledged a #10 million bounty on any information that could lead to the arrest by the police of those who murdered over 16 people in neighbouring Nibo community during their new yam festival.
“He had also donated on behalf of the Ezinano community the sum of #100million to be shared among women and widows in Ezinano to enable them to engage in meaningful ventures and contribute their quota to the development of society because, according to him, ‘ an idle mind is the devil’s workshop ‘.
“We are honestly taken aback by this apparent campaign of calumny against Ozo Jeff Nweke and wondered why the writer chose to remain faceless if his intentions and motivations were not sinister.
“We advise that these faceless Facebook writers who indulge in this campaign of calumny channel their energies toward unravelling the mystery behind the disappearance of Benjamin Ezemma on November 12, 2024, as reported by his wife for positive results.”
