There is tension at Ihekwuenu-Aku Community, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, following the destruction of the residence of Mr. Anibueze Nnadi, a poor blind man.
Nnadi’s residence, built for him by his family members, was similarly destroyed in September 2021, when it was still under construction and receiving finishing touches.
The incident had generated protests, accusations and counter-accusations, which culminated in the intervention of the Enugu State Government under former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Following the incident, the state government investigated the matter and suspended the community’s traditional ruler (Igwe Okwor).
Mr. Sunday Ezemagu, a nephew to the blind man, who conducted newsmen around the demolished two-bedroom apartment in Nsukka on Wednesday, said that the incident happened around 11:50 pm on October 7.
Ezemagu narrated that his residence is very close to that of Nnadi, adding that he was asleep when suddenly he heard a loud sound.
Ezemagu said: “I peeped from the window and saw some people with torchlight wielding dangerous weapons in their hands as they destroyed the house.
“I opened my door quietly and sneaked to a darker corner where I saw the son of a traditional ruler directing his boys to destroy my uncle’s house.
“It pains me because this is the second time they are demolishing my uncle’s house in his own land.
“This building is a kind gesture of some members of Ezemagu’s family, who built this new house to enable Nnadi pack out from the dilapidated mud house in which he was living before.”
Speaking, Nnadi, the blind man, said that the assailants forced his door open in the middle of the night, beat him up before destroying his house.
He said: “I was sleeping when some people forced my door open, beat me up, closed my mouth so that I will not shout, tied my two hands and pushed me outside.
“It was later when they left that some of my family members saw where they dumped me and told me they had destroyed my house again.
“This is the second time they are attacking and destroying my house, government should urgently come to my rescue before they will come back and kill me,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs, Victoria Amuka, Nnadi’s sister, expressed shock and sadness on why the thugs manhandled her brother and destroyed his house.
She said: “I usually visit him every day from my husband’s place, and when I came on October 8 in the morning, my brother told me that the hoodlums invaded his house the previous night, beat him up, covered his mouth so that he will not shout, tied his hands and dragged him outside.
“They have destroying his house again because, they want him dead so that they can claim his land.
“I appeal to the state government to intervene and rescue my brother from the hands of these suspected agents.”
Mr. Sylvester Okpe, an elder in the area, wondered why anybody would destroy the blind man’s house again.
Okpe said he had given witness to the Enugu state government, police and relevant authorities that the land where the house was built for Nnadi (the blind man) belongs to him.
”They are taking undue advantage of the poor man, the fact remains that the land in question belongs to Nnadi (the blind man) so nobody should lay claim to it.
“As the oldest man in this community, I urge the thugs and their sponsors in the name of God to desist from disturbing the poor blind man.
“The Enugu State government should urgently intervene to save the blind man from further agony and oppression,” he said.
Mr. Anthony Didiugwu, the Head of Neighbourhood Watch in the community, confirmed the incident but said that its operatives were yet to fish out those behind the crime.
“Neighborhood Watch is working towards identifying and fishing out those who destroyed the blind man’s house,” he said.
When contacted for comments on the incident, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Enugu State, said he had yet to receive any report on the matter.
