By NewsBits
The women of Umunneato Autonomous Community in Aboh-Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, on Saturday, blocked the popular Eke Nguru Market to demand the immediate and unconditional release of their traditional ruler, HRH Eze Leo Nwokocha, from police detention.
The angry women said holding the native ruler continuously without taking him to a court of competent jurisdiction for trial is against natural justice and rule of law. They said that the community has been in deep agony and apprehension since the traditional ruler was picked by the police, urging the authorities to arraign the royal father if, indeed, they were sure of their facts, otherwise release him to his family and community.
NewsBits learnt that Umunneato Autonomous Community is made up of, among others, Egberede, Eziala and Okwu Nguru. However, the angry women specifically from Egberede, Eziala and Okwu Nguru, poured out in their numbers to protest vehemently the continued detention of Eze Nwokocha.
NewsBits learnt that Eze Nwokocha, who is the Chairman of Mbaise Council of Traditional Rulers, was arrested by the Imo State Police Headquarters, Owerri, on 28 December 2022, after a suspected member of the proscribed Eastern Security Network (ESN) Mr. Chinwendu Nwagwu, fingered him as one of their sponsors.
Mr. Nwagwu, alias “Onye Army”, who is said to come from the same Umunneato Autonomous Community as Eze Nwokocha, was said to have mentioned his traditional ruler’s name and one Jude Egwim from Mbaise as their sponsors through one absconded proxy, Mr. Ihedioha, who gave them N120,000.
NewsBits reports that the women, who refused to observe their Eke Nguru Market Day in order to drive home their demand for the freedom of their native ruler, went on protesting, singing songs of sorrow concerning the continued detention of Eze Nwokocha. One of the leaders of the protesting women, Florence Opara, who said she hailed from Okwu Nguru, claimed that their traditional ruler “does not encourage nor tolerate crime in his domain.”
Mrs Opara appealed to the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to release Eze Nwokocha or take him to court of competent jurisdiction, if the authorities are sure of their facts. She said it was against humanity to hold the traditional ruler perpetually in detention without trial or allowing him to regain his freedom.
Two other women, Mrs. Getrude Nwaegbu and Mrs. Florence Ogbonna, said the community had been in agony since the arrest and detention of their traditional ruler. Contacted, CSP Michael Abattam said he was no longer in a position to comment in the matter as he had been redeployed from the Public Relations Unit.
