University Don Petitions Enugu Police Boss Over CompromisedInvestigation Involving INEC Official

By Winnie Kodilonye

A lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN), Dr. Patience Opata has asked the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Police Command to investigate a case of fraud, forgery of land documents, trespass and act likely to cause breach of peace against a top official of Independent ElectoralCommission, INEC, one Obinna Ayogu.

She alleged that the land in question belongs to one Sunny Ngwu (Retired Commissioner of Police) and the case was investigated by the State Investigation and1nteligence Bureau, SIIB, D5 with Ede as the investigating Police Officer, IP0.

In the petition she said, Sunny Ngwu bought the said land from the Umakashi Community, Nsukka in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. The land, according to her, is a

registered land with all the documents intact which include; the agreement with Umakashi Community Heads and Land Executives and a letter written by the community that they sold the said land at Ugwumeze Umakashi, along Nsukka-Adani Road of Nsukka L.G.A.to Sunny Ngwu and Wilson Agbo (a.k.a. Son of Paddy).

They specifically stated in the said letter dated 22/22/2003 that they did not sell the said land or part of the land to Barrister F.I.Ngwu as claimed.

The petition, titled: ‘Re-petition against Obinna Ayogu for fraud, forgery of land document, trespass and act likely to cause breach of peace’ which was signed by Dr. Patience Opata, she alleged that at a certain period of time,

Sunny Ngwu decided to assign the part of the property for lease and realized that Obinna Ayogu has a false document claiming ownership of the property.

“On perusal, it has a false foundation, and when he was confronted with the situation, he brought false documents from three different persons whom he claimed he bought from them.”

The petitioner stated that “They are Alloysius Ezema from Umakashi Community and former Executive member of the Umakashi Community that sold to Sunny Ngwu. He also claimed that he bought from one Lady Mrs Ann Ngene , who authoritatively stated that he never owned any property and didn’t sell the landed property to the INEC official, Obinna Ayogu as claimed. She also swore an affidavit to that effect.”

Opata alleged one ASP Ochibo that investigated the case at the Nsukka division connived with the suspect and removed the forged agreement before the transfer of the case file to Enugu. An act that need to be departmentally punished but was being protected by the officers at S.I.I.B Enugu who refused to bring the attention of theCommissioner of Police to such a criminal act that is unbecoming of an officer.

She urged the CP to wade into the matter, and get “neutral good police officers from any jurisdiction,” to take over the case, arrest the culprit and charge him to court for justice to be seen to have been done in this criminal matter as law is no respecter of person.