AWKA— The thugs that seized the Anambra cities of Awka and Onitsha by the jugular, Wednesday, refused to let go yesterday, torching more public buildings including the governor's office even as they engaged in maiming and killing. At least 27 people are feared dead so far in the horror.
President Olusegun Obasanjo has called an emergency security meeting for today in Abuja on the situation following a briefing yesterday from Governor Chris Ngige. The meeting is to be attended by the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Service and Governor Ngige.
Also set ablaze yesterday were the Government Civic Centre on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, the Anambra Broadcasting Service headquarters in Awka and the State Television house in Awada, Onitsha. The Onitsha North Local Government and Onitsha South Local Government Secretariats were not spared. The Ikenga Hotels, owned by the state government, was vandalised while about 10 vehicles belonging to the hotel and guests were smashed.
The thugs operating in commuter buses drove round the two cities destroying public buildings. They commenced their operations in Onitsha where they attacked the ABS television house and set ablaze transmission equipment before moving to the local government secretariats where they torched the buildings. But it was learnt that they met a stiff resistance from their opponents in the governor’s camp who engaged them in a fight around the Awada and Bridge Head areas where about nine lives were said to have been lost and about 14 others seriously wounded.
After the Onitsha operation, the hoodlums moved to Awka and joined others at the Aroma Junction, a few kilometres from Government House, from where they drove in a long convoy to the Ikenga Hotels. At the hotel, according to the workers, guests and staff were chased out with the invaders shooting and beating everybody in sight. They vandalised the reception hall and other shops while facilities in some of the rooms were damaged. All the cars parked within the premises were smashed.
General Manager of the Hotel, Mr. Jerome Akabueze, who stood helpless, described the incident as "unbelievable and ridiculous," saying: "It is very surprising and embarrassing that Anambrarians could do this kind of thing to their own property. It is a pity and I don’t think that people with good heads and brains can do this because, eventually it’s the tax payers' money and revenue that will be used to replace all these things and this (hotel) is one of the pride of Anambra State.’’
From the Ikenga Hotel, the youths moved to the Civic Centre popularly called Women Development Centre, which is the only government conference centre in the state capital, and set the main hall ablaze after destroying the glass windows and doors. The Government House, which parts were torched on Wednesday, was revisited by the violent youths who used explosives and other inflamable liquids to set the entire seat of power ablaze. The governor’s office and that of his deputy were razed while other adjoining offices were not spared.
When Vanguard visited the Government House at about 2 p.m. yesterday, thick smoke covered the entire place but policemen were nowhere near there. Also, about the same time yesterday, the House of Assembly Complex was up in flames. It was learnt that the thugs visited there and set the one-storey building ablaze.
The ABS headquarters where the frequency modulated broadcasting equipment was installed suffered the same fate as the building completed a few years ago was vandalised and set ablaze at about 3pm yesterday.
The development shocked the entire residents of the state especially those in Awka who watched the wanton destruction of the few infrastructure, which successive administrations had been able to put in place since the creation of the state in 1991.
Speaking with reporters in Awka yesterday, Vice Chairman of the PDP (South), Chief Chris Orajekwe, bemoaned the wanton destruction of property but blamed it on the alleged disruption of the PDP rally by members of the governor’s private security. He said the governor’s group had flagged off their campaign for the December 18 council polls but "when we decided to hold ours yesterday (Wednesday), the governor said that would not happen. Is there justice and fairness in this?"
He said the rampage had gone beyond the party supporters as, according to him, natives of the state who were aggrieved by the action of the governor were now responsible for the wind of destruction now sweeping across the state. "As far as I am concerned, destruction is not good especially when it has to do with lives. The situation is hopeless. The Federal Government should intervene now to save the situation. We cannot continue to watch this kind of incident. All we have in Anambra State is gone. Right now, the entire state is in confusion and there is total breakdown of law and order. The governor has lost control of the situation. You can see policemen everywhere but it appears difficult for them to control the situation. Let the Federal Government come to our aid," the PDP chieftain said.
Meanwhile, officials of the state government have gone into hiding for fear of being attacked by the hoodlums who have in the last two days destroyed many government vehicles as well as private ones belonging to officials of the Ngige administration. The governor, by press time yesterday, was yet to return to the state. Members of his family were said to have been evacuated from the Amawbia Governor’s Lodge to his Alor home on Wednesday.
