Residents of Ovumnte community in Ebonyi State have submitted a petition to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, CP Philip Sule Maku, over the forceful and illegal acquiring of their land by ex-Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim.

The residents stated that Anyim had successfully bought over Daniel Nwonu, DPO in charge of Ivo Divisional Police Station, who allegedly assisted him by intimidating and arresting legitimate landowners.

The landowners in the Ovumnte community had also engaged in a peaceful protest  against the use of thugs and conduct of the DPO and his policemen who were alleged to be sponsored by Anyim to intimidate members of the Ovumnte community.

In the “Save Our Souls” petition submitted at the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, on Tuesday, the residents accused Anyim and the Police DPO of “forcible entry, willful and malicious destruction of property, disobedience to the order of the court, assault occasioning harm, abuse of public office, unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.”

They stated that in January 2020, Anyim, in the company of Chinedu Nicholas Makwe, Peter Ajah, Livinus Ukah, Godfrey Anyim and others, forcibly entered and embarked on the destruction of Ovumnte-Amagu lands in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

They noted that following the destruction, a legal proceeding was filed at the High Court of Ebonyi State.

“Consequently, the court ordered that the status quo should be maintained by the parties to the suit pending the determination of the suit,” the petition noted.

The petitioners are praying the Commissioner of Police to “prosecute the culprits, including Anyim Pius Anyim, Chinedu Nicholas Makwe, Peter Ajah, Livinus Ukah, Godfrey Anyim, and others, who are currently violating the orders of the High Court in Suit No: HSK/6/2020 by destroying their farms including crops, palm trees and other economic trees, which are their only means of livelihood in line with the applicable criminal laws of Nigeria.”

They also demanded that the unprofessional conducts of Mr Daniel Nwonu as DPO should be investigated and that he should be appropriately sanctioned as a matter of urgency.