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It has been a case of accusations and counter-accusations being the fallout of the communal crisis rocking the people of Eluama community, Lokpaukwu Umuchieze automonous community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State. At the centre of the crisis, which has so far split the community into two factions, are the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Moses Okwale and his younger brother, Dr. Borke Okwale and others loyal to them on one side. On the opposing side is the other faction comprising the newly elected EDU executive, teaming up with those who identified themselves as concerned citizens of Eluama who claimed to have the support of about 90 percent of the entire populace.

The crisis which started rearing its ugly head as far back as 2011, climaxed on September 1, this year when the aggrieved concerned citizens convened a general assembly of Eluama indigenes home and abroad where about 90 percent of the entire populace allegedly passed a vote-of-no confidence on the Albert Izuegbu-led Eluama Development Union, EDU, executive and consequently conducted an election that brought into power, a new set of EDU executive led by Pastor Chukwudi Okoli.

At the moment, both the Mr. Izuegbu-led EDU executive which assumed office either in 2010 or 2011 and Pastor Okoli-led newly elected EDU rival group are still laying claims to the town union leadership. While the Izuegbu-led group is insisting that the so-called vote-of-no-confidence passed against them and the September 1 purported EDU executive election that ousted them were null, void and of no effect, since their tenure still remained a year and two months to come to an end, the Okoli-led newly elected executive claimed to have assumed duty based on the fact   that the tenure of the former had elapsed since the end of 2013.

As soon as the Okoli-led executive assumed office, they claimed to have discovered series of financial improprieties amounting to about N50 million against the former executive but at the same time decided to start with the demand for the release of N15 million allegedly paid into the private account of Dr. Okwale, for the community, by Memochris Nigeria Limited, a quarrying company based in the area, as rent for a five-year land lease, between May and June, this year.

Following the alleged refusal of Okwale to release the funds to the community on time, the concerned citizens, in collaboration with the Okoli-led new EDU executive, petitioned the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, at Nkwoagu-Isuochi Division and consequently, the DPO, Mr. Uromi invited both parties for amicable settlement.

After some deliberations, the DPO gave them about a week interval to re-convene in his office for more deliberations. But before the new date, a team of armed men in military camouflage uniform stormed the area and allegedly arrested about eight members of the concerned citizens and their supporters,   whisked them off to Lomara-Isuochi military camp, tortured them severely and took them to D7, Abia State Criminal Investigations Department, CID, Umuahia from where their relations and supporters went and took them on bail about five days later.

Undoubtedly, this development might not be unconnected with a counter-petition from both Borke and his group against members of the concerned citizens for daring to demand the release of the N15 million.

Borke had in the petition, to both the police and the Army, accused the concerned citizens of Indian hemp selling and smoking, trouble making, invasion and burning of Eze Okwale’s Palace, criminality and above all, conspiring to conduct a kangaroo election without due consultations, hence the Army attack on the community.