Contrary to social media reports alleging that about three persons died in what the reports saw as bloodbath in Umueri community in Anambra-East local government area of Anambra state last week, the traditional ruler of the town, His Royal Majesty Igwe Sir Ben Izuchukwu Emeka has debunked such rumour saying there was no bloodbath whatsoever and that nobody died in his community.
The traditional ruler said in clear-cut terms that his community is peaceful, devoid of crisis of any form and that what transpired in the area was a minor land matter which he has handled peacefully and sought amicable resolutions between the parties involved.
Speaking with our correspondent in his palace at Umueri, the traditional ruler expressed great bitterness at what he described as deliberate attempt to malign his community by those he termed faceless, disgruntled elements whom he said were bent on dragging his throne to the mud and painting his community in bad light on social media platforms.
He said, “When I read that thing on the social media, that there was bloodbath in Umueri, I began to wonder which bloodbath they are talking about. Whose blood was being shed because there was nothing like that.
“When two villages, Iruagu and Umudiana were having land dispute which never warranted killing and somebody went ahead to maliciously write that there was bloodbath in Umueri and three people were feared killed; I want to categorically state that nobody was killed and there was no bloodbath in Umueri.
“It is a mere land dispute which is also a subject of court litigation. It is already in the Anambra State High Court Otuocha Division. So I want to use this opportunity to plead with these faceless social media writers to leave Umueri alone and leave Igwe Umueri alone. There is no problem in Umueri. The little crisis that we had which is a land dispute between Iruagu Umuatuolu and Umudiana is being managed. ”
Igwe Emeka further disclosed that they have initiated the process of peace between the two villages through a meeting that was held in his palace and that he was certain that the issue would not escalate further.
He however re-echoed his warnings saying that the faceless individuals peddling falsehood and negative propaganda against Umueri community should desist forthwith from such illegalities and concern themselves with the troubles in their respective communities adding that what the people are writing were figments of their own imaginations and does not represent anything that happened in Umueri community.
According to him, “Let Umueri people who don’t want the progress of this community to leave our people alone. Umueri was almost in oblivion before now but my emergence as the traditional ruler brought unprecedented transformation to the community. I want to warn once again that those faceless individuals will be exposed and Umueri will not leave them to go unpunished. We will take them to court of law so that they will tell us whose blood was flowing like water they want to bath with. ”
He also recalled that there were social media reports recently that the traditional ruler and the President-General of Umueri town union were at loggerheads over union matters but he said that granted that they had crisis in the town union, they had long resolved the issue and that both of them are working harmoniously well to keep the community intact.
He said that the Otuocha Division of the Nigeria police intervened in the land dispute between Iruagu and Umudiana but as the traditional ruler of the community, he pleaded that the matter be resolved at his palace even though the Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra state command of the Nigeria Police, SP Haruna Mohammed said the command has not received any official report on the said land dispute between Iruagu and Umudiana villages in Umueri community.
To this end therefore, he emphasized that the enemies of Umueri kingdom won’t go scot-free, when the long arm of the law catches up with them and brings them to justice for defamation against his throne as well as delibrate malice against his community.
Send your news, press releases/articles to augustinenwadinamuo@yahoo.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @ptreporters and on Facebook on facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526, 08053908817.
