www.odogwublog.com reports that about 300 protesters from Umunzarabia, Ogwu-Aniocha community in Ogbaru council area of Anambra State on Tuesday, besieged the premises of the Government House, Awka to register their displeasure over the hijack of N20 million oil exploration compensation paid them by the Shell Oil Company.
They alleged that while N10 million was taken by some agents who facilitated the release of the largess, the remaining N10 million was hijacked by some hoodlums allegedly sponsored by the Senior Special Adviser to Gov. Willie Obiano of Political Matters, Mr Arinze Awogu, a native of Atani community.
The protesters who carried placards with various inscriptions such as: ‘Arinze Awogu have politicized our family into bitterness, hatred, and mockery because of personal oil interest’, ‘A non-indigene of Ogwuaniocha community is causing anarchy’ ‘Anambra State Govt. come to our rescue and reconciliation’ among others also accused the governor’s aide of sowing seeds of discord in their town.
Leader of the aggrieved villagers, Mr Udom Casmir Osita, who doubles as the Secretary, Umunzarabia and the kindred head, Mr Boniface Uzoalo in their separate speeches, also alleged that the accused distributed Pump Action rifles to their opponents.
Osita said: “We never knew that Arinze Awogu was sponsoring them secretly. It was when SARS, on our invitation, arrested them that Arinze came out and bailed those people. He claimed that the governor had sent him to come and make peace.”
“But instead of making peace, he turned our community a place of hatred and mockery where everybody is against each other. He sponsors the other faction and bought them pump action rifles which they’re using to fight us.”
“He went to the Shell Oil Company office in Owerri, Imo State, and changed the names of the real owners of the land and replaced them with his own list. He now attends meeting on behalf of the family even when he is not an indigene of the community. He hails from Atani community.”
Osita furthered that the struggle which had lasted for more than 25 years between their town and Oguta community in Imo State before they won in court have claimed the lives of some persons including one Mr Ajeyi Egwuenu who died in Owerri prison.
“Mr Aloysius Okwuosa, Mr Udoma Mbanude, James Ndubuaku and his son were detained for eight months in Owerri prison because of that land. But today they’ve been forgotten” he lamented.
When contacted, Mr Arinze Awogu dismissed all the allegations as spurious.
“The petitions and the allegations have no bearing whatsoever. At the point I came in to help them find peace was the time they laid a similar allegation against their own people and called the SARS to effect arrests.”
Meanwhile, leaders of the protesters were taken into the government house were Dr Nnanna held brief on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Prof. Joe Asike. Journalists were barred from the meeting but leader of the team, Mr Udom Casmir Osita, quoted him as saying that the matter would be looked into.

Odogwu Emeka Odogwu