The board chair of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), Emeka Umeagbalasi, has narrated how some hoodlums suspected to be Biafra agitators collected N250,000 to ensure the safety of the funeral of his father-in-law.
The renowned human rights activist stated that the hoodlums collected the negotiated money for the peaceful burial of his late father-in-law, Mazi Edwin Ohia, of the Obioha-Ohia Family in Akaeme Ohia-Uchu, Arondizuogu, on Friday, November 29, 2024.
The Intersociety leader’s father in-law’s children negotiated and parted with N250,000 to recover a seized vehicle and for peaceful burial of their father.
A statement issued by the Inter-society boss noted that through great assistance rendered by the leader of the Umunze-Ihite Army Checkpoint, a safe passage was granted to his entourage including two members of the Ezinifite Igwe-in-Council (Ndichie) and a professor of law to make use of a blocked road for the funeral.
Umegbalasi further stated that the Nigerian Army had informed the Intersociety leader that they blocked the road to prevent fleeing armed hoodlums being pursued by Nigerian Security Forces (NSFs) from Okigwe axis.
He expressed happiness that those that accompanied the Intersociety leader to the funeral have since returned to their respective destinations unhurt and safely.
Narrating the ugly experience, he said on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, his Mitsubishi Hilux 200, bearing the official logo and name of the Intersociety was snatched at gunpoint by armed “Counterfeit Biafra Agitators ” along a bush path close to “the Umunze-Ihite Army Checkpoint” at Umunze in Orumba South of Anambra State.
He noted that vehicles were blocked by soldiers from making use of the Umunze-Ihite-Ndiokoliorji-Arondizuogu-Okigwe Road, a development that forced motorists to use a bush path by the right side of the Army Checkpoint; thereby exposing some road users to attacks by suspected armed Biafra agitators.
Umegbalasi narrated that his friend’s driver was heading back to Onitsha at about 4.30 pm after dropping his wife, her younger sister, other family members and their luggage when the Mitsubishi Hilux was snatched from him at gunpoint.
He stated that the snatched vehicle was zoomed off toward Okigwe by the armed suspected Biafra agitators, during which it was rough-driven, forcing it to stop moving and was left in the hands of the armed men.
The Inter-society boss said after the vehicle was recovered the armed suspected Biafra agitators later seized it again after it stopped moving and insisted that they must be settled for a peaceful burial ceremony and for the vehicle to be released, a development he said led to the payment of the N250,000.
