One Killed, 30 Cars, 20 Houses Destroyed As Landlords’ Association Election Turns Bloody

At least one person was confirmed dead and several others injured, while 30 vehicles and 20 buildings were destroyed by rampaging thugs during a disputed landlord’s Association election at the Iyiowa-Odekpe Community, in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday, said the fracas occurred on Monday when irate youths went on rampage following a disagreement during the election.

A resident of the community who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, said property estimated at over N100 million, were equally destroyed by the youths working for those identified as indigenes of the area who were against the election of a non-indigene as president of the association.

He said trouble started when non-indigenes of the landlords association in the area conducted an election that produced one Sunday Obinze as the president of the landlords’ association which countered an earlier election of indigenes, an action that led to having a parallel landlords association in the area.

According to an Online news platform, Ripples Nigeria, the indigenes of the community who were infuriated by the action of the non-indigenes to create a factional landlords association, reportedly unleashed the youths on the non-indigenes who went on the rampage.

The source said the Ogbaru youths went on rampage, invaded homes of the newly elected executive members, attacked them, looted their shops and smashéd vehicles, buildings, factories, among others.

The President-elect of the association, Obinze, who also spoke to newsmen, said:
“About 7.30 in the morning, some youths from Ogbaru, stormed my house, set my car ablaze, smashed the glass windows, doors, collected N3.8 million cash meant for workers.

“The hoodlums equally went to a big soap factory owned by our Vice-President-elect, Uchenna Ike and destroyed the factory.

“They must pay for the damages, including those of other people. What they destroyed is worth over N30 million.

“One person is almost dead, and over 15 people sustained injuries. The indigenes landlords sent the youths, the youths made it known to us during the attack,” he claimed.