Ned Nwoko and the native war in Idumuje-Ugboko

The news spread like wildfire. And it was received with ecstasy. Not only in Idumuje-Ugboko but the whole of Anioma, the Igbo speaking areas of Delta state. The news was the proposed STARS University. And the man behind the proposed university is a lawyer of distinction, an Idumuje-Ugboko distinguished Prince and politician, Honourable Ned Nwoko.For Anioma people, Ned as he is fondly called by all, was bringing development to their doorsteps.

The university would bring with it employment opportunities for their sons and daughters who graduated from higher schools, just as it will also give admission to their young ones through the Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB. Ned therefore became for them a pathfinder and an uncommon hero. Apart from the university, the Prince was also going to build a golf course, something that would make Idumuje-Ugboko a tourist destination. The people of this rather rustic village could now visualise a social well being within their horizon. When therefore on Saturday, July 11, 2015, Ned met his people, representatives of the Obi-in-Ciuncil and the executives of Idumuje-Ugboko Development Union, ICU, among others, it turned out a rendezvous of who is who in Idumuje-Ugboko.

The soft-spoken lawyer took time in his presentation to explain details of his two projects- the STARS University and Royal Golf Course. His presentation was greeted with a deafening ovation. The meeting therefore unanimously approved the proposal and consequently mandated the incumbent President-General of the community at the time, Benet Odor and his national executive to represent the community in their partnership with the United Kingdom trained lawyer to ensure an untrammelled success. With the barbaric war going on in the same village right now, one can only ask, “how is it that two of the projects that were greeted with such plaudits have now become the object of stinging attacks? How is it that Idumuje-Ugboko has suddenly become a theatre of terror, impunity and haven for outlaws?

Why is it that Prince Ned Nwoko, hitherto a folk hero has dramatically become an object of corrosive attacks by vile folks?”
A veteran journalist, Chris Ogu, 69, the Iyase, War Lord of Idumuje-Ugboko painted a grim picture of the violence and acts of terrorism that engulfed his community.

“It was about March 24 or so, the year was 2017,” he began. “I was reading a paper in front of my house. Then suddenly I heard what sounded like the clashing of machets or irons. I raised my eyes to behold some of our youths and some strange fellows carrying guns, matchets, rods, sticks,” he narrated, his voice quaking in pain as he recalled his ordeal.

Before the Iyase could realise what was going on, the windscreens of his two cars, a Camry and a Mercedes Benz, V-Boot, were smashed by this vicious gang . Then the boys and men pounced on him like a common criminal, slapping and kicking him until he fell flat on the ground. Then a second batch of these youths,thugs, men joined and the barbaric act became accentuated. “It was a gruesome picture of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man” , he said. A third older group of men from the village soon arrived. Chief Ogu bleeding on the ground saw hope and struggled to sit up on the ground. Shockingly, the brutality intensified before the men instructed the base and lowbred youths to frog-march him to the palace. “As they dragged me like a criminal I did not know some went into my house , vandalised and looted everything including my cars. They stole everything and smashed my house windows”, he lamented.

Now, Idumuje-Ugboko had just lost its king, His Royal Majesty, Obi Albert Nwoko III. Chief Ogu was therefore shocked as he was dragged to the field in front of the palace. But just then,a son of the late king, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, emerged from the palace and pronto his tormentors resumed their barbarous acts, pounding him until he almost lapsed into coma while the prince smiled seemingly regaling himself with his torture. “I was simply lucky to be alive”, he said, sounding distressed. So, how did this absurd barbarity, this savagery creep into this otherwise sedate community.

Prince Walters Eziashi, who was President-General of Idumuje-Ugboko Development Union, 2008- 2012 , narrated the genesis in a publication in Vanguard newspapers of April 4, 2020 titled “Ned Nwoko is Innocent”.

According to him, Prince Ned Nwoko on March 16, 2015 applied to the king, Obi Albert Nwoko and the kingdom for 90 hectare land to add to the 33 hectares earlier given to him for a dairy farm for the establishment of a golf course and a sports university. The request, he stated passed through due process as the king convened a meeting (Izu Ani) in April 2015, in line with their tradition with all the chiefs in attendance. Ned’s application was approved at this meeting and the community decided they would hold 40% equity in the university. The approval was further reaffirmed at the stakeholders meeting of July 11th, 2015.

The community development union then wrote to their local government, Aniocha North Local Government Council confirming the community support for the project and the allocation of land for the proposed project. With these approvals, the international lawyer, Prince Ned, obtained Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for the land with ease.

Trouble therefore to loom when Prince Chukwunonso, the King’s son suddenly emerged with a letter dated August 12th, 2015, and purportedly written by his father , Obi Albert Nwoko. This letter claimed the king was not aware and did not give any approval for the allocation of land for Prince Ned’s projects.

This letter seemed incredulous, if not ludicrous to the chiefs including Iyase, Chris Ogu, who participated in the whole process leading to the approval of the land. “And i can tell you categorically that the king was part and parcel of this decision”, said Prince Walters in a telephone chat.

The issues created by this ominous letter would culminate in a petition to the police urging meticulous investigation. After a detailed investigation in which the signature in the letter was subjected to forensic analysis, it was discovered that the Obi’s signature on the letter was forged. Prince Chukwunonso and his supporters were indicted and charged before the Chief Magistrate Court 1,
Asaba; Charge No. SMC/42OC/2016. The crisis in Idumuje-Ugboko had begun as Prince Chukwunonso allegedly drew a battle between him and those against his position on the sizzling community issues.

In the heat of the chaos, the King died on February 6, 2017, in a manner that Nonso’s opponents and many indigenes of the village describe as suspect. Against all known Idumuje-Ugboko royal ethos, coronation rituals, tradition and culture, Prince Chukwunonso was alleged to have crowned himself king with the aid of non-natives of Idumuje-Ugboko. With the crown on his head, illegitimately or otherwise, he, according to Prince Walters, began a reign of terror.

Between May 18th and 25th, the self-crowned king, Nonso, levied war on the village. Chief Ogu was therefore the first victim of his unbridled brutality as he refused bluntly to support the Prince turned rejected King.

But as the Iyase puts it, the crucible he was put through turned out a child play. A 65 year old man, Kennedy Nedu Ilo, was not so lucky. He was so battered and butchered that he could not recover from the siege on his house and the savagery of their attacks against his person. He died.

The Odogwu of Idumuje-Ugboko, Chief Sunday Edemodu, one of the foremost Chiefs in the kings council was not spared their depravity. Apart from the vandalisation of his house and property, he was kidnapped and viciously tortured. He never recovered from it. Today, he epitomises a sad, vegetative life, barely managing to move any part of his body; what is now diagnosed as Parkinson Sydrome. There was Cyprian Kumionu, a young man from Benue state.

Dropped innocently by a motorbike close to the palace, the militias allegedly working for the controversial King, Nonso shot and killed him instantly according to Prince Walters . Till now, his body carted away by the thugs has not been located. The late Cyprian’s father, Moses Kumionu, is still calling on the police to retrieve the body of his son.

The story of Cyprian’s murder revealed a source at the village was contained in a statement written at the police station by a repentant youth that hitherto belonged to the Idumuje-Ugboko youth movement allegedly under Prince Chukwunonso’s full control.

The Iyase revealed that a total of 30 houses and men were attacked by a mix of Idumuje-Ugboko youths and external militias hired by Prince Chukwunonso. This includes an assassination attempt on the eloquent former President-General of IDU, Prince Walters.

Narrating his dreadful encounter Prince Walters revealed, ” the grave incident was on my birthday, 12th August, 2017. I was just
coming out of my car right in front of my house when I saw a black Toyota Corolla. It had a Lagos Mainland number, LLB, but I didn’t see the figures”. It was while trying to actually see the figures as the car approached closely that the sound of the gun boomed in a staccato manner. But I was unhurt. Because God is with me and my ways are straight. And I give God all the glory. My brother, the violence we have seen in this village is simply horrendous”.

The Delta state Police Commissioner then, now AIG at the Police Academy in Kano described the violence as native war.

A text in possession of this writer gives a further horrifying insight into the belligerent mood of one of the men allegedly working for the Prince and unrecognized king, Chukwunonso.

Part of the text with account details read,
‘’I’m just being briefed that serious crisis have resumed in Ugboko. The Youth President has asserted that since all security measures have failed us, they are taking the bull by the horn. Unfortunately, he is very bitter that his gallant youths are not getting the needed support from the Idumuje-Ugboko sons and daughters. They need urgent financial support to reinforce their Arsenal……Biko nu, it is exigent that we do the needful to expedite any financial support we can get individually to boost the morale of the youths, Odoziani
Nu”. The writer then enclosed an account that reads “Acct Name: Omosiete Raymond Alex, Acct No: 2036978432, Bank: UBA”

A lawyer from a community close to Idumuje -Ugboko who saw the text and who is familiar with the crisis reacted angrily, “This is what the President of Idumuje-Ugboko Development Union is writing, calling for money to arm the youths for war. He wants them to “reinforce their arsenal”, so they already have an arsenal. If this was in US or some nations, he will spend long years in prison. I trust the Nigerian judiciary wouldn’t let him go without paying for sponsoring terrorism because that is what it is”.

Another lawyer who holds a PhD in Law from the united States who witnessed the long days of brigandage in the village commented thus, “The attacks were characterised by systematic and widespread perpetration of all classes of atrocities against some innocent members of the community particularly those considered to be against the decision to reverse the allotment of land for the purpose of
establishing a university in the community by Prince Dr. Ned Nwoko. The victims experienced most intensive and concentrated period of torture, physical injuries and violations of their personal rights by these individuals. The victims were dragged out of their homes, beaten, injured and dragged to the palace; some of them had their houses burnt down by their attackers. They took the abductees to the palace, elderly people, young men and women . It was an awful mayhem characterised by lawlessness and unbridled destruction of properties…”

The lawyer in his conclusion adds that ” while it is easy to ascertain the reason for the perpetration of such dastardly attacks, the intention of the attackers and their sponsors must not be overlooked. And that brings in the principle of vicarious liability. Some people must indeed be vicariously liable for the atrocities that occurred.”

Now that the police have investigated and arrested some of the suspects, the people of Idumuje-Ugboko and in fact Deltans are calling for their immediate prosecution. They are eagerly waiting to see how the judiciary will deal those behind the unspeakable heinous crimes against their people and in fact against the soul of their once most serene community. But it is not only the indigenes of Idumuje-Ugboko that are watching this case.

In the last three years , the Pen Society, Ford and MacArthur Foundations have invested US$5Billion towards criminal justice reforms and to strengthen the anti-corruption agencies . They did so to help ensure that criminal like this are speedily and efficiently dealt with to protect the integrity of the judiciary.

No question, the local and international outcry spurred by the Idumuje-Ugboko crisis will draw the attention of some of these international Foundations to the prosecution of this case by the judiciary. The Idumuje-Ugboko community, Nigerians and indeed the international community await the outcome.

Okafor is a Nigeria Media Merit Award winning crime reporter.