The Abia State Police Command has arrested four persons over an attempt to demolish the property of a widow, Mrs Nkechinyere Ndukwe.
The widow’s son, Obinna Ndukwe, had last week raised the alarm that 10 men stormed his mother’s property at No. 62 Mission Hill, Umuahia, Abia State, and were removing the windows and roofing sheets of the building in preparation for its demolition before police arrived and arrested four of the men while the others fled.
Confirming the arrest, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chinaka, said the incident that led to the arrest of the suspects concerned a long-standing dispute over a property, which is currently under investigation by the FCID.
“However, one of the parties involved in the dispute, in an attempt to take possession of the property by all means, mobilized some community youths to remove the roofing sheets of the disputed property,” the PPRO said.
“Subsequently, the youths after carrying out his instruction, attempted removing roofing sheets from other properties not connected to the dispute and were apprehended by the police.”
The police, however, advised parties to the disputed property not to take the law into their own hands, to maintain peace and to allow the case at the FCID to run its course, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
Obinna had alerted the authorities to the destruction of their family house by some hired thugs.
“The thugs could have even k!ll any of us if we had ventured to come out to challenge them,” he said.
“These people have been harassing and threatening our lives and I appeal to the police to put up efforts and arrest the fleeing thugs as not to become threat to our lives.”
He, however, cautioned the other party to the dispute to adhere to police advice, maintain the peace and await the outcome of the police investigation.
