By Dr Innocent Chidumebi Okonkwo.
The President General of Enugwu Aguleri, Chief Nworji Ameke has denied the allegation that his community was behind the traditional "dropping of rope " in Abor Ivite Aguleri in respect of the deceased Chidubem.
Speaking with OMT reporters in a telephone conversation, Chief Okeosisi said he sympathized with the deceased family and Enugwu Aguleri in general but maintained that his community had earlier taken a stand on the matter which according to him, the Enugwu Aguleri under the rulership of HRH Eze Augustine Chukwuemeka Eri shares the same position with the entire Aguleri community.
He described the allegations that Enugwu Aguleri community was responsible for the dropping of rope as a baseless one and lacking in truth. He maintained that the act was the decision of the bereaved family and their friends, and insisted that Enugwu had no hand in it as a community.
Earlier, the family of Late Chidubem had dropped a rope with the eldest man in Abor Ivite Aguleri as a traditional way of accusing an Indigene of the village as being directly responsible for the death of their son. The parents of the deceased Dubem who died in the Anambra State CID Awkuzu annex custody had earlier made a viral video accusing the President General of Aguleri community Assembly Barr Rolex Iloakasia of being responsible for their son's death by inviting police to arrest him.
In a response, the Indigenes of Abor community in a letter delivered online by Chief Hyacinth Ezebilo stated that the Abor community is solidly behind their son. They maintained that Rolex was only excersising his legitimate duty of restoring law and order as the PG of the community and warned that nothing should happen to him.
Delivering another statement in respect of the incident, the Chairman of Aguleri World Forum, Pastor Jossy Akwuobi, described Chidubem's death as an unfortunate one.
He acknowledged the expression of concern In respect of the tragedy that befell AGULERI regardless of the nomenclature of his clan.
According to him,
"I must say that the death of the young Agulerian while in detention under the custody of the police is tragic and regrettable"
"I want to use this medium to state categorically that the bereaved have every right to mourn and express their frustration for the tragedy that befell them. However such mourning does not include casting aspersions, threat or intimidation against another Agulerian who happens to be our PG."
"We in AGULERI World Forum totally condemn any kind of threat targeted to our PG Chief Bar Iveanyi Rolex Ilokasia or any of his family member under any guise".
"So far AWF and all Agulerians are solidly behind our PG and will surely do everything within our power to ensure that no harm comes to him or his family members as a result of him discharging his responsibilities on behalf of AGULERI".
"As for your outlined demands, I believe that the relevant organs in AGULERI are dealing with those issues raised and hopefully a resolution will be reached"
"I trust that this matter will not escalate more than its already", Pastor Jossy concluded.