By Chukwudi Ebele
As part of its investigation, Ogidi police Division, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, is currently grilling a man, Nnamdi Okoye, for allegedly locking up the one room office of his relation and a veteran journalist, Evangelist Izu Daniel Okoye, for five consecutive years and causing damages to his property.
It was gathered that at the order of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Amobi, the Divisional Crime Officer, DCO and a woman Investigation Police Officer, IPO, stormed the disputed office and confirmed that it was under lock and key and that a seven day quit notice from the court, which is served on the journalist, was placed on the door of the office.
Narrating his ordeal, the veteran journalist recalled how he rescued Mr. Nnamdi Okoye, who he said is his second cousin, from attack by his mother’s relations which prompted Nnamdi to allocate the office room to him for life as compensation and wondered the sudden change of mind to retrieve the one room apartment from him.
“The room was solemnly donated to me for life time use as reward for what he personally called sufferings I had undertaken for his sake when his mother’s relations threatened to swallow him up with agonizing Programmes, including ‘Itu ya na Arusi,’ (taking him to deity) and other trouble cases some 20 years ego.
“I personally plastered, floored, painted, burglary proofed and installed doors in the room, bearing the cost alone and this I told the police .
“I made a statement in the police that for five years he locked up the office and two years ego he channeled faeces into my office which caused damages to the computers, chairs, desks, books, documents, utensils, among others.
“I may head to the court if police compromise because I am seeing that from their action. When I wanted to take photograph of the seven days notice placed on the door which he got from court against me, the woman IPO wanted to stop me and I refused since it is from court,” he revealed further.