Arrest, persecute killers of Okechukwu Akaneme, ONICCIMA urges Soludo, Police

 

By Okechukwu Onuegbu 

The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) has urged the governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo and the police to quicken arrest and persecution of torturers of late Mr Okechukwu Theophilus Akaneme.

Akaneme, who was the 9th President of the Chamber, was reportedly attacked by the police and members of Anambra State Waste Management Agency (ASWAMA) on October 11, 2024.

The group in a statement by the President signed by Mr Stanley Anyadufu, lamented that the tragic death called for an urgent investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of the heinous crime which led death of the deceased.

"Akaneme died due to complications arising from injuries inflicted on him in his spinal cord by agents of Anambra State Government, precisely Anambra State Waste Management Authority with the aid of some Police officers. They were said to have attacked him in his living room on Friday, October 11, 2024, in the pretext of revenue
enforcement. Those encounter left him paralyzed from around his shoulders down, and hospitalized for an entire nine months.

"ONICCIMA however strongly urge the Anambra State Government to further pay reasonable and adequate compensation to the family, who are reportedly still indebted to the hospitals that treated Mr. Akaneme and other financiers to the tune of well over N40 million. The Anambra
State Government owes this to the Akaneme family as a matter of responsibility.

"Again, ONICCIMA demands justice for our former President, Okechukwu Akaneme, to its full extent. His family had not only reported the incident to the Police, but also petitioned the relevant authorities seeking justice. Regrettably, nine months after the dastardly act, the culprits namely: Joseph Okoye who reportedly led the inglorious team, the two policemen said to be attached to Onitsha Area Command who worked with the said Mr. Okoye, and the other members of the team are yet to be charged to court.

"We note that this is a clear case of homicide as Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme died directly as a result of the injuries he sustained in the hands of these lawless executioners. The Police must eschew unnecessary bureaucracy and complicity, and every act inimical to timely delivery of justice in the matter. There should be immediate arrest,
thorough investigation, and prosecution of all the individuals involved in the incident that maimed Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme and eventually led to
his death.

" There should be immediate arrest and detention of the ASWAMA contractor and agents who masterminded the team that reportedly attacked Okechukwu Akaneme. The circumstances surrounding Akaneme’s death should compel a rethink of government’s revenue drive methodologies, with a view to shedding off the ‘Killer Squad’ toga which government agencies such as ASWAMA, Ocha Brigade, Traffic Management and road decongestion teams, Udogachi, Hackney permit operators, etc. have earned for themselves for some time now

"The police authorities and other security agencies should strictly enforce their code of conduct with a view to stamping out illegal and unprofessional policing/operations by its rank and file. This will enable the agencies earn the confidence of the public, and make their work easier. Once more, we demand justice for Okechukwu Akaneme," he stated.